Our research seeks to elucidate the molecular machinery involved in the signaling pathways that act in the intraerythrocytic development of Plasmodium falciparum, the etiological agent of malaria parasites. Through genetic tools, we have identified the role of the kinases Pfeik, PfPK7, and the nuclear protein PfMORC in regulating the synchronization and coordination of Plasmodium development. In addition, we constructed one of the first transgenic calcium transducers to measure calcium in real-time in P. falciparum (PfGCaMP3) and are proposing that MDR1 (multi-drug resistance) acts as a receptor for IP3 in the parasite in the digestive vacuole (DV). In the upstream signaling pathway, we identified 4 GPCR candidates, and from the knockout of PfSR25 we report that this receptor is involved in the parasite's susceptibility to antimalarials. We study the signaling pathways of Plasmodium falciparum involved in the relationship with the host to identify possible targets for drug development.
- SANTOS, BENEDITO M. ; DIAS, BÁRBARA K. M. ; NAKABASHI, MYNA GARCIA, C.R.S. The Knockout for G Protein-Coupled Receptor-Like PfSR25 Increases the Susceptibility of Malaria Parasites to the Antimalarials Lumefantrine and Piperaquine but Not to Medicine for Malaria Venture Compounds. Frontiers in Microbiology , v. 12, p. 1-11, 2021
- SINGH, MANEESH KUMAR ; TESSARIN-ALMEIDA, G. ; DIAS, B. K. M. ; PEREIRA, PEDRO H. S. ; COSTA, FAHYME ; PRZYBORSKI, J. M. ; GARCIA, C.R.S. A nuclear protein, PfMORC confers melatonin dependent synchrony of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum in the asexual stage. Scientific Reports, v. 11, p. 1, 2021.
- DIAS, B. K. M. ; NAKABASHI, M. ; ALVES, M. R. R. ; PORTELLA, D. P. ; SANTOS, B. M. ; COSTA, FAHYME ; Ribeiro, Ramira Yuri ; SCHUCK, D. C. ; Jordão, A. K. ; GARCIA, C.R.S. The Plasmodium falciparum eIK1 kinase (PfeIK1) is central for melatonin synchronization in the human malaria parasite. Melatotosil blocks melatonin action on parasite cell cycle.. JOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, p. 11-19, 2020.
- PEREIRA, LUCAS BORGES ; THOMAS, SAMANTHA J. ; SILVA, AMANDA L. A. ; BARTLETT, PAULA J. ; THOMAS, ANDREW P. ; GARCIA, C.R.S. The genetic Ca2+ sensor GCaMP3 reveals multiple Ca2+ stores differentially coupled to Ca2+ entry in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Journal of Biological Chemistry (Online), v. 1, p. 10-19, 2020.
