A lysophospholipase plays role in generation of neutral-lipids required for hemozoin formation in malaria parasite

Abstract Phospholipid metabolism is crucial for membrane dynamics in malaria parasites during entire cycle in the host cell. Plasmodium falciparum harbours several members of phospholipase family, which play key role in phospholipid metabolism. Here we have functionally characterized a parasite lysophospholipase ( Pf LPL1) with a view to understand its role in lipid homeostasis. We used a regulated fluorescence affinity tagging, which allowed endogenous localization and transient knock-down of the protein. Pf fLPL1localizes to dynamic vesicular structures that traffic from parasite periphery, through the cytosol to get associated as a multi-vesicular neutral lipid rich body next to the food-vacuole during blood stages. Down-regulation of the Pf LPL1 disrupted parasite lipid-homeostasis leading to significant reduction of neutral lipids in lipid-bodies. This hindered conversion of heme to hemozoin, leading to food-vacuole abnormalities, which in turn disrupted parasite development cycle and significantly inhibited parasite growth. Detailed lipidomic analyses of inducible knock-down parasites confirmed role of Pf LPL1 in generation of neutral lipid through recycling of phospholipids. Our study thus suggests a specific role of Pf LPL1 to generate neutral lipids in the parasite, which are essential for parasite survival. Importance Present study was undertaken with a view to understand the functional role of a unique lipase (lysophopholipase, Pf LPL1) of the human malaria parasite. We utilized genetic approaches for GFP tagging as well as to knock-down the target protein in the parasite. Our studies showed that Pf LPL1 associates closely with the lysosome like organelle in the parasite, the food-vacuole. During the blood stage parasite cycle, the food-vacuole is involved in degradation of host haemoglobin and conversion of heme to hemozoin. Genetic knock-down approaches and detailed lipidomic studies confirmed that Pf LPL1 protein plays key role in generation of neutral lipid stores in the parasite; neutral lipids are essentially required for hemozoin formation in the parasite, a vital function of the food-vacuole. Overall, this study identified specific role of Pf LPL1 in the parasite which is essential for parasite survival.