Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40335414›Full record

ArticleJournal of molecular biology2025

Decoding the Minimal Translation System of the Plasmodium falciparum Apicoplast: Essential tRNA-modifying Enzymes and Their Roles in Organelle Maintenance.

Rubayet Elahi, Sebastian Mesones Mancilla, Montana L Sievert, Luciana Ribeiro Dinis, Opeoluwa Adewale-Fasoro, Alexis Mann, Yonatan Zur, Sean T Prigge

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of molecular biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rubayet ElahiDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: aelahi3@jhu.edu.
Sebastian Mesones MancillaDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: smesone1@jhu.edu.
Montana L SievertJohns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: msiever4@jhmi.edu.
Luciana Ribeiro DinisDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: ldinis1@jhmi.edu.
Opeoluwa Adewale-FasoroDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: oadewal1@jhmi.edu.
Alexis MannDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: amann15@jhu.edu.
Yonatan ZurDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: yzur1@jhu.edu.
Sean T PriggeDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: sprigge2@jhu.edu.

Funding

Training: Molecular & Cellular Bases of Infectious DiseasesT32AI007417 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Arturo Casadevall · 1994 to 2026
$11.9M
Determinants of apicoplast maintenance in malaria parasitesR01AI125534 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Sean Taylor PRIGGE · 2016 to 2026
$3.9M
Malaria and Mosquito/Tick-borne DiseasesT32AI138953 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI DAVID Joseph SULLIVAN · 2019 to 2026
$2.0M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI125534NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007417NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI138953
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Post-transcriptional tRNA modifications are essential for accurate and efficient protein translation across all organisms. The apicoplast organelle genome of Plasmodium falciparum contains a minimal set of 25 complete tRNA isotypes, making it an ideal model for studying minimal translational machinery. Efficient decoding of mRNA codons by this limited tRNA set depends on post-transcriptional modifications. In this study, we sought to define the minimal set of tRNA-modifying enzymes. Using comparative genomics and apicoplast protein localization prediction tools, we identified 16 nucleus-encoded tRNA-modifying enzymes predicted to localize to the apicoplast. Experimental studies confirmed apicoplast localization for 14 enzymes, including two with dual localization. Combining an apicoplast metabolic bypass parasite line with gene disruption tools, we disrupted 12 of the 14 apicoplast-localized enzymes. Six of these enzymes were found to be essential for parasite survival, and six were dispensable. All six essential enzymes are thought to catalyze modifications in the anticodon loop of tRNAs, and their deletions resulted in apicoplast disruption. Of the two genes refractory to deletion, one exhibited dual localization, suggesting essential functions outside the apicoplast. The other, which appears to localize solely to the apicoplast, may play an indispensable role that is not circumvented by our metabolic bypass. Our findings suggest the apicoplast translation system relies on a minimal set of tRNA modifications concentrated in the anticodon loop. This work advances our understanding of minimal translational machinery in reduced organelles, such as the apicoplast, with promising applications in synthetic biology.

Indexed as

ApicoplastsPlasmodium falciparumProtein BiosynthesisRNA, TransferOrganellesProtozoan ProteinsRNA Processing, Post-TranscriptionalProtozoan ProteinsRNA, Transferapicoplastminimal translational machineryPlasmodiumtRNA modificationtRNA-modifying enzymes

Identifiers

PMID40335414
PMCPMC13060630

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.