Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rhoptries and Other Merozoite Organelles Involved in Invasion

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Malaria

  • 371 Accesses

Synonyms

Apical complex organelles and invasion; Dense granule function; Erythrocyte invasion; Merozoite invasion; Micronemes and invasion; Rhoptry proteins and invasion

Malaria Invasion Organelles

Rhoptries are unique organelles found in eukaryotic organisms belonging to the alveolate superphylum. The conservation of rhoptry proteins among Plasmodium species and the presence of the rhoptries among members of the alveolate superphylum provide a distinct opportunity to identify shared structural and functional components regarding the biology of the organelle. The biogenesis and function of the rhoptries, in the light of knowledge obtained from the free-living alveolates will aid identification of drug targets and vaccine molecules for malaria. Plasmodium sp. are members of the phylum apicomplexa, which contains a diverse group of organisms that include obligate intracellular parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates.

The Apicomplexa

This essay will focus on the rhoptries and other...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Baum J, Gilberger TW, Frischknecht F, Meissner M. Host-cell invasion by malaria parasites:insights from Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. Trends Parasitol. 2008;24:557–563.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blackman MJ. Malarial proteases and host cell egress: and “emerging” cascade. Cellular Microbiol. 2008;10:1925–1934.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boulanger MJ, Tonkin ML, Crawford J. Apicomplexan parasite adhesins: novel strategies for targeting host cell carbohydrates. Curr Opin Stuct Biol. 2010;20:551–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carruthers VB, Tomley FM. Receptor-ligand interaction and invasion: microneme proteins in apicomplexans. Subcell Biochem. 2008;47:33–45.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Counihan NA, Kalanon M, Coppel RL, deKoning-Ward TF. Plasmodium rhoptry proteins: why order is important. Trends Parasitol. 2013;29:228–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cowman AF, Berry D, Baum J. The cellular and molecular basis for malaria parasite invasion of the human red blood cell. J Cell Biol. 2012;198:961–71.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gaur D, Chitinis CE. Molecular interactions and signaling mechanisms during erythrocyte invasion by malaria parasites. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2011;14:422–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon JL, Sibley LD. Comparative genome analysis reveals a conserved family of actin-like proteins in apicomplexan parasites. BMC Genomics. 2005;6:179, doi:10.1186/147-2164-6-179.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gubbels MJ, Duraising MT. Evolution of apicomplexan secretory organelles. Int J Parasitol. 2012;42:1071–81.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey KL, Gilson PR, Crabb BS. A model for the progression of receptor-ligand interactions during erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Parasitol. 2012;42:567–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leander BS. Marine gregarines: evolutionary prelude to the apicomplexan radiation? Trends Parasitol. 2008;24:60–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leander BS, Keeling PJ. Morphostasis in alveolate evolution. Trends Ecol Evol. 2003;18:395–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Portman N, Slapeta J. The flagellar contribution to the apical complex: a new tool for the eukaryotic Swiss Army knife? Trends Parasitol. 2014;30:58–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts LS, Janovy J, Nadler S. Phylum apicomplexa: malaria organisms and piroplasms. In: Schmidt GD, Roberts LS, editors. Foundations of parasitology. 9th ed. Boston: McGrawHill; 2012. p. 143–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sibley LD. How apicomplexan parasites move in and out of cells. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2010;21:592–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley LD. Invasion and intracellular survival by protozoan parasites. Immunol. Rev. 2011; 240:72–91.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Alam MM, Pal-Bhowmick I, Brzostowski JA, Chtnis CE. Distinct external signals trigger sequential release of apical organelles during erythrocyte invasion by malaria parasites. PLoS Pathogens. 2010;6(2). doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000746

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, SI 219, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA

    Tobili Sam-Yellowe

Authors
  1. Tobili Sam-Yellowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tobili Sam-Yellowe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Heswall, United Kingdom

    Marcel Hommel

  2. Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Peter G. Kremsner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this entry

Cite this entry

Sam-Yellowe, T. (2015). Rhoptries and Other Merozoite Organelles Involved in Invasion. In: Hommel, M., Kremsner, P. (eds) Encyclopedia of Malaria. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8757-9_52-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8757-9_52-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8757-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation