TY  - JOUR
AU  - Pražák, Vojtěch
AU  - Vasishtan, Daven
AU  - Gruenewald, Kay
AU  - Douglas, Ross G
AU  - Ferreira, Josie
TI  - Molecular architecture of glideosome and nuclear F-actin in Plasmodium falciparum
JO  - EMBO reports
VL  - 26
IS  - 8
SN  - 1469-221X
CY  - [London]
PB  - Nature Publishing Group UK
M1  - PUBDB-2025-02034
SP  - 1984 - 1996
PY  - 2025
N1  - This research was funded in part by DFG INST 152/ 772-1, 774-1, 775-1, 777-1 FUGG (CSSB cryoEM facility). 
AB  - Actin-based motility is required for the transmission of malaria sporozoites. While this has been shown biochemically, filamentous actin has remained elusive and has not been directly visualised inside the parasite. Using focused ion beam milling and electron cryo-tomography, we studied dynamic actin filaments in unperturbed Plasmodium falciparum cells for the first time. This allowed us to dissect the assembly, path and fate of actin filaments during parasite gliding and determine a complete 3D model of F-actin within sporozoites. We observe micrometre long actin filaments, much longer than expected from in vitro studies. After their assembly at the parasite’s apical end, actin filaments continue to grow as they are transported down the cell as part of the glideosome machinery, and are disassembled at the basal end in a rate-limiting step. Large pores in the IMC, constrained to the basal end, may facilitate actin exchange between the pellicular space and cytosol for recycling and maintenance of directional flow. The data also reveal striking actin bundles in the nucleus. Implications for motility and transmission are discussed. 
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
C6  - pmid:40128412
DO  - DOI:10.1038/s44319-025-00415-7
UR  - https://bib-pubdb1.desy.de/record/631522
ER  -