29-Oct-2025
#Malaria parasites are full of wildly spinning #iron #crystals. Scientists finally know why.
New #ISEPpapers! Phylogenomic diversity of archigregarine apicomplexans https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsob.240141
"#Gregarines are a large and diverse subgroup of #Apicomplexa, a lineage of obligate animal #symbionts including pathogens such as #Plasmodium, the #malaria parasite. Unlike Plasmodium, however, gregarines are poorly studied, despite the fact that as early-branching #apicomplexans they are crucial to our understanding of the origin and evolution of all apicomplexans and their parasitic lifestyle."
Postdoctoral Researcher - P. falciparum cell cycle regulation
LPHI, CNRS - University of Montpellier, France
We are seeking a #postdoc to join a ERC-funded project at LPHI (Montpellier, France) to study cell cycle regulation of the #Plasmodium falciparum.
See the full job description on jobRxiv: https://jobrxiv.org/job/lphi-cnrs-university-of-m...
https://jobrxiv.org/job/lphi-cnrs-university-of-montpellier-france-27778-postdoctoral-researcher-p-falciparum-cell-cycle-regulation/?feed_id=84088
Postdoctoral Researcher - P. falciparum cell cycle regulation
LPHI, CNRS - University of Montpellier, France
We are seeking a #postdoc to join a ERC-funded project at LPHI (Montpellier, France) to study cell cycle regulation of the #Plasmodium falciparum.
See the full job description on jobRxiv: https://jobrxiv.org/job/lphi-cnrs-university-of-m...
https://jobrxiv.org/job/lphi-cnrs-university-of-montpellier-france-27778-postdoctoral-researcher-p-falciparum-cell-cycle-regulation/?feed_id=83953
Plasmodium parasites have a pair of unique organelles called rhoptries that are made anew every replicative cycle. This study shows that the RON11 protein triggers de novo biogenesis of the second rhoptry and is important for parasite invasion of erythrocytes.
Mitosis is an important process in the cell cycle required for cells to divide. Never in mitosis (NIMA)-like kinases (NEKs) are regulators of mitotic functions in diverse organisms. Plasmodium spp., the causative agent of malaria is a divergent unicellular haploid eukaryote with some unusual features in terms of its mitotic and nuclear division cycle that presumably facilitate proliferation in varied environments. For example, during the sexual stage of male gametogenesis that occurs within the mosquito host, an atypical rapid closed endomitosis is observed. Three rounds of genome replication from 1N to 8N and successive cycles of multiple spindle formation and chromosome segregation occur within 8 min followed by karyokinesis to generate haploid gametes. Our previous Plasmodium berghei kinome screen identified 4 Nek genes, of which 2, NEK2 and NEK4, are required for meiosis. NEK1 is likely to be essential for mitosis in asexual blood stage schizogony in the vertebrate host, but its function during male gametogenesis is unknown. Here, we study NEK1 location and function, using live cell imaging, ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM), and electron microscopy, together with conditional gene knockdown and proteomic approaches. We report spatiotemporal NEK1 location in real-time, coordinated with microtubule organising centre (MTOC) dynamics during the unusual mitoses at various stages of the Plasmodium spp. life cycle. Knockdown studies reveal NEK1 to be an essential component of the MTOC in male cell differentiation, associated with rapid mitosis, spindle formation, and kinetochore attachment. These data suggest that P. berghei NEK1 kinase is an important component of MTOC organisation and essential regulator of chromosome segregation during male gamete formation.
By Dear Hollow
Defacement has always been an apt but incomplete moniker for the act that professes it – best described by the International act’s1 2021 sophomore self-titled effort’s artwork. While the gore and violence of a face erased is enough for the blasting excess and macabre decadence of death metal, Defacement has always been content to meditate, to stare into the face – or lack thereof – in an undeniably unflinching but unquestionably thoughtful approach. Following two releases of dissonant and blackened death metal, Duality is a capitalization of what makes the act great, if not held back by old habits.
Featuring three members of Deathcrush, Defacement’s bread and butter relies on blazing riffs that straddle the line between dissonance and murk, outlined by insane drumming,2 and monstrous growls, as well as an unexpected love for industrial atmospheres. Duality features four tracks proper, punctuated by interludes, with the act’s most ambitious material yet. Comfortably fitting within the ranks of dissodeath and “esoteric death metal,” Duality offers the best of what you love about Defacement and quite a deal more.
Everything serves the riffs and the atmosphere aboard Duality, and both sides of the aptly titled album are showcased. The four main tracks, “Burden,” “Barrier,” “Scabulous,” and “Duality” alll encompass unique attacks of varying capacity, tied together by a tapestry of murk and dissonance. For instance, “Barrier” offers the most aggressive attack in its blazing riffs and war march drumming, while “Burden” showers listeners with a tastefully yearning melody between fluid movements between blackened tremolo and churning riffs. “Scabulous” is a foreshadowing in its more contemplative and arrhythmic lurching motion, preparation for the sixteen-minute closer. “Duality,” true to its name, delves into layers of flaying dissonance, rip-roaring solos, and head-crushing riffs, interspersed with moments of bittersweet melody. Because the album serves to be diverse in its approaches, its impenetrable murky mix courtesy of Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis) and Simon Da Silva (Aversio Humanitatis) is a wonder to behold, as its esoteric layers create a swamp of sound aptly opaque for this style, but allowing free movement and appropriate shine to all its players.
The real downside to Duality is nearly exactly what downed its predecessor: interludes. While Defacement insists on creating a dark and murky environ with its death metal centerpieces, any momentum gained is quickly extinguished by unnecessary two-and-a-half-minute slurps of industrial noise and trip-hop beats. While they largely succeed in capitalizing upon the kind of place that Defacement hopes to evoke, they feel largely unnecessary and borderline derailing. This is why “Duality” is so effective as a closer, as its length provides adequate breadth and organicity for the act to seamlessly move between viciousness tinged with disharmony, slower menace, and climactic yearning melody – without interruptions or interludes. These aside, as competently as Defacement performs Duality, they nevertheless remain in limbo in capturing a unique palette – and instead evoke ghostly meanderings somewhere between Antediluvian, Plasmodium, and Ulcerate.
For all my complaints, Defacement nonetheless have created a work admirable for its sheer ambition in effectively sweeping listeners away to a place cold and otherworldly. With just enough melody to balance out the dissonance and murk, enough aggression to soar above pretense, and a stunning balance of the esoteric and punishing to get your head bobbing while admiring the bleakness, Defacement accomplishes what it sets out to do – creating their best offering thus far. However, with jarring industrial/trip-hop interludes killing momentum and a huge question mark regarding the act’s trademark beyond an amalgamation of dissodeath and blackened death’s respective echelons, Duality narrowly misses dealing a stunning blow. However, Defacement invites listeners to behold its gaping maw in blood-soaked reverie, and Duality offers its best incarnation yet.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: N/A | Format Reviewed: STREAM
Label: Avantgarde Music
Websites: defacementofficial.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/officialdefacement
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024
#2024 #35 #Anguana #Antediluvian #AvantgardeMusic #AversioHumanitatis #BlackenedDeathMetal #ContinuumOfXul #CosmicPutrefaction #DeathMetal #Deathcrush #Defacement #DissonantDeathMetal #Duality #DutchMetal #EarthAndPillars #InternationalMetal #Jul24 #Plasmodium #Review #Reviews #Ulcerate #VertebraAtlantis
How an anti-hero of the #ImmuneSystem protects from malaria https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bugbitten/2024/07/07/how-an-anti-hero-of-the-immune-system-protects-from-malaria/
#Autoantibodies inhibit #Plasmodium falciparum growth and are associated with protection from clinical #malaria https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1074761324002784
"Malarial #disease and #autoimmune disease share a strange relationship. Both are best avoided, however when one is infected with the Plasmodium parasite it may be beneficial to have a propensity for autoimmunity."
Giuseppe Michieli
michael
Daniel Hoffmann 🌼
ISEP
jobRxiv
PLOS Biology
Angry Metal Guy
Lukas VFN 🇪🇺