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. 2016 Jan 6;12(1):e1005370. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005370

Fig 6. Model for UIS2 function in the Plasmodium.

Fig 6

The eIF2α kinase eIK2 (also called UIS1) and Pumilio protein Puf2 are highly transcribed and translated in the mosquito salivary gland [3–5, 25, 26]. The highly transcribed eIF2α phosphatase uis2 mRNA binds to Puf2 and the translation of phosphatase UIS2 is likely repressed. The eIF2α of Ssp is highly phosphorylated since the eIF2α kinase eIK2 activity is dominant, leading to translation inhibition and latency of sporozoites in the mosquito salivary glands. When sporozoites are injected into the mammalian host, the repression of UIS2 translation is probably alleviated, the eIF2α phosphatase UIS2 activity is dominant, eIF2α is dephosphorylated, and Ssp transform into the liver stages. Knockout of puf2 or eIK2 contributes to the dominance of UIS2 and the mutant sporozoites inside of mosquito salivary glands prematurely transform into liver stages [4, 23, 28, 29].