Rapid Fire Presentation 8th International Conference on Plasmodium vivax Research 2022

Full-length RNA-sequencing of Plasmodium vivax sporozoites provides an improved understanding of transcription at this stage. (#201)

Caitlin Bourke 1 2 , Anthony Ruberto 3 , Amélie Vantaux 4 , Benoit Witkowski 4 , Aaron Jex 1 2 , Ivo Mueller 1 2
  1. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  2. Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkvill, VIC, Australia
  3. Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases,, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
  4. Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia

Progressing studies of Plasmodium vivax biology hinges on our understanding of the P. vivax genome, transcriptome and proteome. In particular, the RNA that is transcribed by the organism throughout its life-cycle provide crucial insight into biological function and can help guide design and down-selection of possible novel therapeutic strategies. However, much is still to be understood about the untranslated regions (UTRs) of P. vivax and how these regions control and regulate mRNA fate; particularly in regard to post-transcriptional stability and regulation. Likewise, very little is known about the function or role of transcript isoforms in P. vivax and how isoform variability may be used by the parasite during its life-cycle. To begin to answer some of these questions, we have performed a full-length RNA sequencing study of RNA extracted from P. vivax sporozoites using PacBio’s Sequel. We capture full-length mRNA molecules inclusive of 3’ and 5’ UTRs that flank the coding sequence. This provides important improvements for our understanding and interpretation of the P. vivax transcriptome, from a sporozoite-centric approach. Importantly, this will aid future (single-cell) RNA seq analyses to improve accurate read quantification. We are additionally able to catalogue the isoform variation present in the sporozoite and begin to hypothesise potential roles for this diversity. Finally, we perform in silico predictions and comparisons of UTR length and function, with a particular focus on possible mechanisms for translational repression. This work provides important biological insight of the sporozoite’s transcriptional landscape but also an important resource for the P. vivax community.