FIGURE 6:

Strong overexpression of profilin abrogates gliding motility, invasion, and natural transmission. (A) Quantification of trails deposited by gliding sporozoites (categories: <1, 2–10, 11–20, 21–30, and >30). Number within the gray circle in each pie diagrams indicates total sporozoite number. (B) In vitro speed tracking of motile sporozoites. The average speed (μm/s) was quantified from representative hemocoel sporozoites (n = 25). Data shown are mean speed (± SD) from three independent experiments. Differences are nonsignificant (Kruskal–Wallis test). (C) Sporozoite invasion of hepatoma cells. × denotes inability to invade in profilin^CSP sporozoites. The results represent mean values (± SD) of three independent experiments with two samples each. **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 (unpaired t test). (D) Malaria transmission by mosquito bites. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 10 infected mosquitoes, and the prepatent period was monitored by daily microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films. The difference of profilin^CSP infection to all the infections was significant.***p < 0.001 (Mantel–Cox test).