SCIENCE@home

Unusual replication dynamics during Plasmodium falciparum schizogony

Rosie Berners-lee,Terry K. Smith

Published 2025 in Malaria Journal

ABSTRACT

Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of malaria in humans, and disease severity is directly linked to parasite proliferation during the erythrocytic cycle. During this cycle, P. falciparum replicates via schizogony. This is an unusual form of asexual replication in which the parasite undergoes alternating asynchronous rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division within a shared cytoplasm, followed by a mass cytokinesis event that produces numerous daughter cells. Despite recent advances in high-throughput, single-molecule techniques, clarity on P. falciparum replication dynamics remains elusive. These dynamics are likely shaped by its highly AT-rich genome and the unique pressures of schizogony. Clarifying the pressures that shape schizogony and DNA replication may reveal parasite-specific vulnerabilities and inform the development of new antimalarials. Schizogony consists of alternating asynchronous rounds of DNA replication and nuclear divisions. Replication origins and fork dynamics in P. falciparum remain contested. Genome composition and limited resources may shape replication during schizogony. Schizogony consists of alternating asynchronous rounds of DNA replication and nuclear divisions. Replication origins and fork dynamics in P. falciparum remain contested. Genome composition and limited resources may shape replication during schizogony.

PUBLICATION RECORD

CITATION MAP

EXTRACTION MAP

CLAIMS

  • No claims are published for this paper.

CONCEPTS

  • No concepts are published for this paper.

REFERENCES

Showing 1-38 of 38 references · Page 1 of 1

CITED BY