# A Genetically Encoded Marker for Imaging of Internal Plasmodium Membranes

Article · Zink L, Reuschenbach V, Ahmed SS, Lauer M, Niethammer J, Kudulytė A, Zorko K, Fackler OT, Hentzschel F, Ganter M

- Archive id: doi:10.1111/mmi.70098
- Published: 2026-09-15
- Venue: Molecular microbiology
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.70098
- PMID: 42742062
- PMCID: PMC13644370
- Citations: 0
- Source URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.70098
- PDF: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13644370/pdf
- Provenance: europepmc

## Abstract

Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful tool to analyze the subcellular architecture, and long-term live-cell imaging permits the analysis of the dynamics of intracellular structures, such as membranes. Fluorescent labeling of the plasma membrane of Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, via membrane-resident proteins has been described, but proteins that broadly mark internal membranes are currently elusive. Alternatively, general membrane dyes can be employed to study membrane dynamics; however, we find that the membrane dye BODIPY TR Ceramide has adverse effects on cell viability during live-cell imaging. To overcome this limitation, we present IMMP (Internal Membrane Marker for Plasmodium), a 32-amino acid long peptide derived from P. falciparum PCNA1, which targets (fluorescent) protein tags to internal membranes for detection in live or fixed samples. Importantly, IMMP enables non-invasive, long-term live-cell imaging of internal membranes without affecting P. falciparum viability and is functional in blood stages of both the human malaria parasite P. falciparum and the rodent-infecting parasite P. berghei, as well as in P. berghei mosquito stages. IMMP is also compatible with advanced techniques such as expansion microscopy. Together, our results establish IMMP as a tool for internal membrane imaging in Plasmodium.

_Abstract reproduced under CC-BY (article license as recorded by Europe PMC; abstract reproduced unmodified apart from markup removal)._

Topics: [Connectomics & Brain Mapping](https://space-kitty.com/topics/connectomics)

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