Distinct and stage specific nuclear factors regulate the expression of falcipains, Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases (falcipains) play indispensable roles in parasite infection and development, especially in the process of host erythrocyte rupture/invasion and hemoglobin degradation. No detailed molecular analysis of transcriptional regulation of parasite proteases especially cysteine proteases has yet been reported. In this study, using a combination of transient transfection assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), we demonstrate the presence of stage specific nuclear factors that bind to unique sequence elements in the 5'upstream regions of the falcipains and probably modulate the expression of cysteine proteases. RESULTS: Falcipains differ in their timing of expression and exhibit ability to compensate each other's functions at asexual blood stages of the parasite. Present study was undertaken to study the transcriptional regulation of falcipains. Transient transfection assay employing firefly luciferase as a reporter revealed that a ~1 kb sequence upstream of translational start site is sufficient for the functional transcriptional activity of falcipain-1 gene, while falcipain-2, -2' and -3 genes that exist within 12 kb stretch on chromosome 11 require ~2 kb upstream sequences for the expression of reporter luciferase activity. EMSA analysis elucidated binding of distinct nuclear factors to specific sequences within the 5'upstream regions of falcipain genes. Analysis of falcipains' 5'upstream regulatory regions did not reveal the presence of sequences known to bind general eukaryotic factors. However, we did find parasite specific sequence elements such as poly(dA) poly(dT) tracts, CCAAT boxes and a single 7 bp-G rich sequence, (A/G)NGGGG(C/A) in the 5' upstream regulatory regions of these genes, thereby suggesting the role(s) of Plasmodium specific transcriptional factors in the regulation of falcipain genes. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that expression of Plasmodium cysteine proteases is regulated at the transcriptional level and parasite specific factors regulate the expression of falcipain genes. These findings open new venues for further studies in identification of parasite specific transcription factors.