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Research

Biological systems - including the simplest cells - exhibit a broad range of functions to thrive in their environment. Research in the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology is focused on the possibility of engineering the underlying biochemical processes to solve many of the challenges facing society, from healthcare to sustainable energy. In particular, we model, analyse, design and build biological and biochemical systems in living cells and/or in cell extracts, both exploring and enhancing the engineering potential of biology.

As part of our research we develop novel methods to accelerate the celebrated Design-Build-Test-Learn synthetic biology cycle. As such research in the Centre for Synthetic Biology highly multi- and interdisciplinary covering computational modelling and machine learning approaches; automated platform development and genetic circuit engineering ; multi-cellular and multi-organismal interactions, including gene drive and genome engineering; metabolic engineering; in vitro/cell-free synthetic biology; engineered phages and directed evolution; and biomimetics, biomaterials and biological engineering.

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Angrisano:2019:10.1038/s41598-019-54613-0,
author = {Angrisano, F and Sala, K and Tapanelli, S and Christophides, G and Blagborough, A},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-019-54613-0},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
title = {Male-specific protein disulphide isomerase function is essential for plasmodium transmission and a vulnerable target for intervention},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54613-0},
volume = {9},
year = {2019}
}

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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Inhibiting transmission of Plasmodium is an essential strategy in malaria eradication, and the biological process of gamete fusion during fertilization is a proven target for this approach. Lack of knowledge of the mechanisms underlying fertilization have been a hindrance in the development of transmission-blocking interventions. Here we describe a protein disulphide isomerase essential for malarial transmission (PDI-Trans/PBANKA_0820300) to the mosquito. We show that PDI-Trans activity is male-specific, surface-expressed, essential for fertilization/transmission, and exhibits disulphide isomerase activity which is up-regulated post-gamete activation. We demonstrate that PDI-Trans is a viable anti-malarial drug and vaccine target blocking malarial transmission with the use of PDI inhibitor bacitracin (98.21%/92.48% reduction in intensity/prevalence), and anti-PDI-Trans antibodies (66.22%/33.16% reduction in intensity/prevalence). To our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence that PDI function is essential for malarial transmission, and emphasize the potential of anti-PDI agents to act as anti-malarials, facilitating the future development of novel transmission-blocking interventions.
AU  - Angrisano,F
AU  - Sala,K
AU  - Tapanelli,S
AU  - Christophides,G
AU  - Blagborough,A
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-019-54613-0
PY  - 2019///
SN  - 2045-2322
TI  - Male-specific protein disulphide isomerase function is essential for plasmodium transmission and a vulnerable target for intervention
T2  - Scientific Reports
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54613-0
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/74891
VL  - 9
ER  -