Transcriptomic analysis of Plasmodium berghei apiAP2 KO mutants

During the progress through its complex life cycle, the malaria parasite requires strict control of gene expression but the mechanism controlling this process remain poorly understood and unexplored for therapeutic purposes. A group of the apicomplexa-specific putative transcription factors with AP2 DNA binding domain (apiAP2) has been identified as the major regulators of the parasite transcriptome at multiple stages. The targets and the role of the majority of the members of the family however are unknown. Three independent replicates of each strain + WT control were prepared for schizonts (all strains), as well as gametocytes and ookinetes (ap2-o, ap2-o2, ap2-o3 and wt control). The RNA-seq libraries were prepared using DAFT-seq protocol and sequenced using Illumina 2500 system.