Identification of AP2-O targets [RNA-Seq]

Stage-specific transcription is a fundamental biological process in the lifecycle of the Plasmodium parasite. Proteins containing the AP2 DNA-binding domain are responsible for stage-specific transcriptional regulation, and belong to the only known family of transcription factors in Plasmodium parasites. A comprehensive identification of their target genes will advance our understanding of the molecular basis of stage-specific parasite development. In this study, we have used ChIP-seq technology to identify the target genes of the ookinete-specific AP2 transcription factor AP2-O. Overall design: Plasmodium berghei transcriptomes were analyzed in ookinetes.

阶段特异性转录是疟原虫（Plasmodium）生命周期中一项核心的生物学过程。含有AP2 DNA结合结构域的蛋白质负责介导阶段特异性转录调控，且隶属于疟原虫中目前已知的唯一一类转录因子家族。对其靶基因进行全面鉴定，将有助于我们深入理解疟原虫阶段特异性发育的分子基础。本研究采用ChIP-seq（染色质免疫共沉淀测序）技术，鉴定了动合子（ookinete）特异性AP2转录因子AP2-O的靶基因。整体实验设计：在动合子中对伯氏疟原虫（Plasmodium berghei）的转录组进行了分析。