RNAseq analysis of Plasmodium falciparum extracellular vesicles

Plasmodium falciparum secretes extracellular vesicles that contain RNA. The biological benefit of this secretion to the secreting parasite is not known. Here, we sequenced the RNA content of extracellular vesicles and compared with that of the secreting whole parasites. The data suggests that extracellular vesicles might be part of a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that shapes intracellular RNA levels in the parasite. Overall design: To investigate the biological benefit of extracellular vesicles to the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum, we isolated the RNA content of extracellular vesicles obtained from six parasite isolates (at 4-hourly intervals) and compared with that of the whole parasite.恶性疟原虫（Plasmodium falciparum）会分泌含有RNA的细胞外囊泡（extracellular vesicles）。目前尚不明确该分泌行为对分泌此类囊泡的疟原虫具有何种生物学益处。本研究对细胞外囊泡的RNA组分进行测序，并与分泌该囊泡的完整疟原虫的RNA组分进行比对。分析数据显示，细胞外囊泡或许是调控疟原虫胞内RNA水平的转录后调控机制的组成部分。 实验设计：为探究细胞外囊泡对恶性疟原虫无性血液阶段的生物学益处，我们从6株疟原虫分离株中每隔4小时收集一次细胞外囊泡，提取其中的RNA组分，并与完整疟原虫的RNA组分进行比对。