{ "abstract": "The zoonotic parasite Plasmodium knowlesi is closely related to Plasmodium vivax, the second leading cause of human malaria. P. knowlesi line A1-H.1 can be maintained in human erythrocytes and is an experimental model for P. vivax biology. We present the first transcriptome time course of the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC) of P. knowlesi A1-H.1 grown in human normocytes. Bulk RNA-sequencing was performed at five IDC stages using tightly synchronised cultures, enabling identification of constitutively expressed genes and stage-specific biomarkers, and investigation of temporal expression patterns of multigene families. Comparative analysis with P. vivax orthologues revealed strong genome-wide conservation of temporal expression. Analysis of invasion-associated genes and ApiAP2 transcription factors identified genes with conserved expression patterns for which P. knowlesi is likely a good model to study the P. vivax gene. To support comparative analyses, we developed an open-access interactive webtool to explore and visualise P. knowlesi – P. vivax – P. falciparum orthologue expression across the IDC (https://interactive.itg.be/app/pk-orthologue-expression-viewer). This time course dataset provides a reference transcriptome framework for P. knowlesi A1-H.1 and a resource for comparative Plasmodium biology. The interactive webtool facilitates rapid identification of candidate genes with conserved temporal expression, streamlining functional studies in which P. knowlesi A1-H.1 serves as a model for P. vivax. Author summary: Plasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic malaria parasite, occurring both in macaques and humans. The P. knowlesi laboratory line A1-H.1, which was adapted to grow in human red blood cells, is increasingly used as a model to study Plasmodium vivax, the second most common cause of human malaria. Both species are closely related, but no laboratory line is available for P. vivax. To better understand similarities and differences in gene expression between P. knowlesi A1-H.1 and P. vivax, and to increase our knowledge of P. knowlesi biology in general, we generated a transcriptomic time course covering five stages of the parasite’s asexual blood cycle using mRNA sequencing. This resource can be accessed through an online webtool that allows researchers to explore temporal expression patterns for any P. knowlesi gene and its P. vivax and P. falciparum orthologues. Furthermore, we visualised a selection of genes and gene families that are of specific interest in Plasmodium research, and identified life stage-specific biomarkers as well as constitutively expressed P. knowlesi genes that may support future experimental studies.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Malariology Unit, Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium", "ISGlobal, Malaria and Neglected Parasitic Diseases Programme, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain", "ICREA, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain", "Royal Veterinary College, Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 7, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Katlijn De Meulenaere" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Dalia Díaz-Delgado" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Pieter Monsieurs" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Erin Sauve" }, { "name": "Alfred Cortés" }, { "name": "Ellen Knuepfer" }, { "name": "Anna Rosanas-Urgell" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6bed7j1vn1qrr.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727", "id": "6bed7j1vn1qrr", "issns": [ "1553-7374" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Biomarkers" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Computational biology/Genome analysis/Gene ontologies" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Computational biology/Genome analysis/Genome annotation" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Computational biology/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Genome analysis/Gene ontologies" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Genome analysis/Genome annotation" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Primates/Monkeys/Old World monkeys/Macaque" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Parasitology/Parasite groups/Apicomplexa/Plasmodium" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Primates/Monkeys/Old World monkeys/Macaque" ] ], "openalex": null, "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727&type=printable", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-11-03", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6bed7j1vn1qrr.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-11-04T12:20:43Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014727" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:computational biology", "subfield": "bioinformatics" }, { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:genomics", "subfield": "genetics-genomics" } ], "title": "A Plasmodium knowlesi A1-H.1 transcriptome time course focusing on the late asexual blood stages", "title_text": "A Plasmodium knowlesi A1-H.1 transcriptome time course focusing on the late asexual blood stages", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-05T12:20:11Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6bed7j1vn1qrr", "venue": "PLOS Pathogens", "versions": [] }