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Apicomplexa: Plasmodium
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Classification
• Domain: Eukaryota• Superphylum: Alveolata• Phylum:
Apicomplexa• Class: Aconoidasida• Order: Haemosporida• Family:
Plasmodiidae• Genus:
Plasmodium
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Parasitic
• At least 10 of the 200+ species of the genus Plasmodium infect humans.
• Other species of Plasmodium infect animals, such as birds, reptiles and rodents.
• The two hosts that a parasite always will have in their life cycle are the mosquito vector and the vertebrate host.
• An infection with Plasmodium (parasites) is known as Malaria
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Key Features
• To distinguish these Parasites: – Their ring like shape– They are tubular– There filamentous organelles at the apical
end of the body
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Life Cycle
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Structure
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Apicoplast
• Apicoplast is a unique organelle to Apicomplexans
• Too much is not known of the functions of the apicoplasts.
• Although, it is known to be vital for the parasites survival.
• The destruction of the Apicoplast does not kill parasite immediately, but prevents it from invading host cells.
• Product of secondary endosymbiosis
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Evolution
• Evolution for Plasmodium occurred 130 million years ago.
• Same time, there was a rapid spread of Angiosperms (flowering plants).
• One explanation to evolution is that as angiosperms spread, mosquitoes increased, and thus the Plasmodium was spread out too.
(Plasmodium relictum *pointed by arrows*)
Plasmodium Vivax
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Biomedical
• Since these parasites are eukaryotes, drugs that might kill Apicomplexans might also harm the human host.
• No effective vaccines• Research is hard
because very difficult to maintain live Plasmodium parasite culture.
Plasmodium Falciparum
Plasmodium Bergei Bergei
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Miscellaneous
• 14 chromosomes, one mitochondria, and one plastid.
• Motile structures are absent except in certain gamete stages
• They are unicellular, spore-forming, and exclusively parasites of animals.
• The genus was created in 1885 by Marchiafava and Celli.