Fig. 2
OSCP is not required for asexual growth. a Schematic illustration of OSCP gene knockout (KO) generation. A vector containing the hDHFR selection gene was used to disrupt the OSCP gene. Recombinant parasites were selected based on pyrimethamine resistance. Primers used for PCR analysis in (b) and the probe (red line) used for Southern blotting in [c] are indicated. b PCR analysis of WT and KO parasites. Primers are those shown in (a). c Southern blotting of WT and KO DNA cut with Eco R/Spe l and hybridized with the probe shown in [a] (red line). d Semi-quantified abundance of OSCP mRNA. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was conducted using cDNA prepared from midguts of mosquitoes infected with either WT or KO parasites at 10 days post-infection. TO: total RNA; 18S: 18S RNA(133 bp); OS: OSCP (171 bp). (e) Comparison of WT and KO parasite growth in mice. Mice were infected by intravenous injection of 106 parasites. Number of mice analyzed: n = 3 (WT) and n = 3 (KO). f Gametocyte sex ratio in mice infected with WT and KO parasites