Characterizing the Inducible 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin Promoter in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium berghei
Abstract
The deadly, infectious disease malaria causes more than 200 million infections and a million deaths annually. The protozoan, malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium requires two hosts: the human and Anophelesmosquito. My research project investigates the antioxidant defense mechanisms Plasmodium berghei utilizes to survive within the oxidizing environment of the Anopheles mosquito, particularly through upregulation of the inducible antioxidant defense gene 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin (1-CPrx), which boosts Plasmodium’s immune response against reactive oxygen species in the mosquito host. Our goal is to characterize the inducible promoter of 1-CPrx to further understand the sensory mechanisms Plasmodium employs to adapt to hostile environmental changes.
Characterizing the Inducible 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin Promoter in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium berghei
The deadly, infectious disease malaria causes more than 200 million infections and a million deaths annually. The protozoan, malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium requires two hosts: the human and Anophelesmosquito. My research project investigates the antioxidant defense mechanisms Plasmodium berghei utilizes to survive within the oxidizing environment of the Anopheles mosquito, particularly through upregulation of the inducible antioxidant defense gene 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin (1-CPrx), which boosts Plasmodium’s immune response against reactive oxygen species in the mosquito host. Our goal is to characterize the inducible promoter of 1-CPrx to further understand the sensory mechanisms Plasmodium employs to adapt to hostile environmental changes.