Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T13:39:36.272Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A genetic investigation of virulence in a rodent malaria parasite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. Walliker ,
A. Sanderson ,
M. Yoeli  and
B. J. Hargreaves
D. Walliker
Affiliation:
Protozoan Genetics Unit, Institute of Animal Genetics, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JN
A. Sanderson
Affiliation:
Protozoan Genetics Unit, Institute of Animal Genetics, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JN
M. Yoeli
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, New York University Medical Center, 550 First Avenue, New York 10016
B. J. Hargreaves
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, New York University Medical Center, 550 First Avenue, New York 10016
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The genetic basis of virulence in a line (YM) of Plasmodium yoelii yoelii was investigated in a cross with a mild line (A/C). The blood forms of the virulent line developed extensively in mature erythrocytes of mice, causing death of the host within 7 days; infections with the mild line were normally restricted to reticulocytes, infected animals recovering after three weeks. Lines YM and A/C differed additionally in enzyme and drug-sensitivity markers. Studies on infections established from each line alone from sporozoite mixtures of the two lines and from the cross between the lines showed that the appearance of virulence had been caused by a genetic change in the parasite, and not by other factors such as a concurrent infection with another organism. An analysis of the characters of 56 clones derived from the cross showed that the virulence character had undergone recombination with the other markers, and appeared to be inherited in Mendelian fashion. Three clones exhibited atypical virulence, although it was not clear whether this had been produced by genetic recombination.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 72 , Issue 2 , April 1976 , pp. 183 - 194
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carter, R. (1973). Enzyme variation in Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium vinckei. Parasitology 66, 297–307.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garnham, P. C. C. (1966). Malaria Parasites and other Haemosporidia. Oxford: Blaekwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Jacobs, R. L. (1964). Role of p-aminobenzoic acid in Plasmodium berghei infection in the mouse. Experimental Parasitology 15, 213–25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Killick-Kendrick, R. (1973). Parasitic protozoa of the blood of rodents. 1. The life-cycle and zoogeography of Plasmodium berghei nigeriensis subsp. nov. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 67, 261–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Killik-Kendrick, R. (1974). Parasitic protozoa of the blood of rodents: a revision of Plasmodium berghei. Parasitology 69, 225–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Landau, I. & Chabaud, A. G. (1965). Infection naturelle par deux Plasmodium du rongeur Thamnomys rutilans en République Centrafricaine. Compte rendu Hebdomadaire des Séances de l'Academie des Sciences (Paris) 261, 230–2.Google Scholar
Most, H. M., Nussenzweig, R. S., Vandebberg, J., Herman, R. & Yoeli, M. (1966). Susceptibility of genetically standardised (JAX) mouse strains to sporozoite and blood induced Plasmodium berghei infections. Military Medicine 131 (Supplement), 915–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ott, K. J., Astin, J. K. & Stauber, L. A. (1967). Eperythrozoon coccoides and rodent malaria: Plasmodium chabaudi and Plasmodium berghei. Experimental Parasitology 21, 68–77.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oxbrow, A.I. (1969). Some growth characteristics of Plasmodium berghei strains. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 63, 6.Google ScholarPubMed
Peters, W. (1965). Competitive relationship between Eperythrozoon coccoides and Plasmodium berghei in the mouse. Experimental Parasitology 16, 158–66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salaman, M. H., Wedderburn, N. & Bruce-Chwatt, L. J. (1969). The immunodepressive effects of a murine Plasmodium and its interaction with murine oncogenic viruses. Journal of General Microbiology 59, 383–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walliker, D., Carter, R. & Morgan, S. (1973). Genetic recombination in Plasmodium berghei. Parasitology 66, 309–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walliker, D., Carter, R. & Sanderson, A. (1975). Genetic studies on Plasmodium chabaudi: recombination between enzyme markers. Parasitology 70, 19–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yoeli, M. & Hargreaves, B.J. (1974). Brain capillary blockage produced by a virulent strain of rodent malaria. Science, New York 184, 572–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yoeli, M., Hargreavrs, B., Carter, R. & Walliker, D. (1975). Sudden increase in virulence in a strain of Plasmodium berghei yoelii. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 69, 173–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar