Biomaterial Database

An extended DNA-free intranuclear compartment organizes centrosome microtubules in malaria parasites. 2021

Caroline S Simon, and Charlotta Funaya, and Johanna Bauer, and Yannik Voβ, and Marta Machado, and Alexander Penning, and Darius Klaschka, and Marek Cyrklaff, and Juyeop Kim, and Markus Ganter, and Julien Guizetti

Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.

Proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum in red blood cells is the cause of malaria and is underpinned by an unconventional cell division mode, called schizogony. Contrary to model organisms, P. falciparum replicates by multiple rounds of nuclear divisions that are not interrupted by cytokinesis. Organization and dynamics of critical nuclear division factors remain poorly understood. Centriolar plaques, the centrosomes of P. falciparum, serve as microtubule organizing centers and have an acentriolar, amorphous structure. The small size of parasite nuclei has precluded detailed analysis of intranuclear microtubule organization by classical fluorescence microscopy. We apply recently developed super-resolution and time-lapse imaging protocols to describe microtubule reconfiguration during schizogony. Analysis of centrin, nuclear pore, and microtubule positioning reveals two distinct compartments of the centriolar plaque. Whereas centrin is extranuclear, we confirm by correlative light and electron tomography that microtubules are nucleated in a previously unknown and extended intranuclear compartment, which is devoid of chromatin but protein-dense. This study generates a working model for an unconventional centrosome and enables a better understanding about the diversity of eukaryotic cell division.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D010963	Plasmodium falciparum	A species of protozoa that is the causal agent of falciparum malaria (MALARIA, FALCIPARUM). It is most prevalent in the tropics and subtropics.	Plasmodium falciparums,falciparums, Plasmodium
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002843	Chromatin	The material of CHROMOSOMES. It is a complex of DNA; HISTONES; and nonhistone proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE) found within the nucleus of a cell.	Chromatins
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D042581	Intranuclear Space	The area within the CELL NUCLEUS.	Subnuclear Space,Intranuclear Spaces,Space, Intranuclear,Space, Subnuclear,Spaces, Intranuclear,Spaces, Subnuclear,Subnuclear Spaces
D048749	Cytokinesis	The process by which the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided.	Cytoplasmic Division,Cytokineses,Cytoplasmic Divisions,Division, Cytoplasmic,Divisions, Cytoplasmic
D018385	Centrosome	An organelle near the nucleus of the cell consisting (in animals and organisms that have CILIA) of two CENTRIOLES, and the surrounding pericentriolar material. It functions as the primary MICROTUBULE-ORGANIZING CENTER during the eukaryotic CELL CYCLE (https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2180).	Pericentriolar Material,Pericentriolar Matrix,Pericentriolar Region,Centrosomes,Material, Pericentriolar,Matrix, Pericentriolar,Pericentriolar Materials,Pericentriolar Matrices,Pericentriolar Regions,Region, Pericentriolar
D022022	Nuclear Pore	An opening through the NUCLEAR ENVELOPE formed by the nuclear pore complex which transports nuclear proteins or RNA into or out of the CELL NUCLEUS and which, under some conditions, acts as an ion channel.	Nuclear Pore Complex,Nuclear Pores,Pore, Nuclear,Pores, Nuclear