A_single_cell_atlas_of_the_Plasmodium_falciparum_journey_through_the_mosquito

Malaria parasites have a complex life cycle featuring diverse developmental strategies, each uniquely adapted to navigate specific host environments. Progression through the life cycle is driven by coordinated changes in gene activity that single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is beginning to capture with unprecedented resolution. Here we use single-cell transcriptomics to shed light on gene usage across the transmission cycle of the most virulent agent of human malaria - Plasmodium falciparum. We reveal developmental trajectories associated with the colonisation of the mosquito midgut and salivary glands and elucidate the transcriptional signatures of each transmissible stage. Additionally, we identify both conserved and non-conserved gene usage between human and rodent parasites, which point to both essential mechanisms in malaria transmission and species-specific adaptations potentially linked to host tropism. Together, the data presented here, which are made freely available via an interactive website, establish the most complete atlas of the P. falciparum transcriptional journey to date. As well as providing new clues into gene function across the transmission cycle, the data will open the door for the identification of novel drug and vaccine targets to stop malaria transmission and prevent disease.