A versatile Plasmodium falciparum reporter line expressing NanoLuc enables highly sensitive multi-stage drug assays

Miyazaki, Y.; Vos, M.W.; Geurten, F.J.A.; Bigeard, P.; Kroeze, H.; Yoshioka, S.; Arisawa, M.; Inaoka, D.K.; Soulard, V.; Dechering, K.J.; Franke-Fayard, B.; Miyazaki, S.

doi:doi:10.1038/s42003-023-05078-5

Presentation of a versatile Plasmodium falciparum dual reporter line, expressing both a fluorescent protein and NanoLuc under a constitutive promoter, that can be used to screen for novel anti-malarial drugs effective against multiple stages of the parasite.Transgenic luciferase-expressing Plasmodium falciparum parasites have been widely used for the evaluation of anti-malarial compounds. Here, to screen for anti-malarial drugs effective against multiple stages of the parasite, we generate a P. falciparum reporter parasite that constitutively expresses NanoLuciferase (NanoLuc) throughout its whole life cycle. The NanoLuc-expressing P. falciparum reporter parasite shows a quantitative NanoLuc signal in the asexual blood, gametocyte, mosquito, and liver stages. We also establish assay systems to evaluate the anti-malarial activity of compounds at the asexual blood, gametocyte, and liver stages, and then determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of several anti-malarial...Show morePresentation of a versatile Plasmodium falciparum dual reporter line, expressing both a fluorescent protein and NanoLuc under a constitutive promoter, that can be used to screen for novel anti-malarial drugs effective against multiple stages of the parasite.Transgenic luciferase-expressing Plasmodium falciparum parasites have been widely used for the evaluation of anti-malarial compounds. Here, to screen for anti-malarial drugs effective against multiple stages of the parasite, we generate a P. falciparum reporter parasite that constitutively expresses NanoLuciferase (NanoLuc) throughout its whole life cycle. The NanoLuc-expressing P. falciparum reporter parasite shows a quantitative NanoLuc signal in the asexual blood, gametocyte, mosquito, and liver stages. We also establish assay systems to evaluate the anti-malarial activity of compounds at the asexual blood, gametocyte, and liver stages, and then determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of several anti-malarial compounds. Through the development of this robust high-throughput screening system, we identify an anti-malarial compound that kills the asexual blood stage parasites. Our study highlights the utility of the NanoLuc reporter line, which may advance anti-malarial drug development through the improved screening of compounds targeting the human malarial parasite at multiple stages.Show less

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A versatile Plasmodium falciparum reporter line expressing NanoLuc enables highly sensitive multi-stage drug assays