An Unusual Prohibitin Regulates Malaria Parasite Mitochondrial Membrane Potential

Joachim Michael Matz, Christian Goosmann, Kai Matuschewski, Taco Wilhelmus Antonius Kooij. 2018. Cell Reports 23, 756-767

In Brief 

Matz et al. present an experimental genetics study of an unusual prohibitin-like protein in the malaria parasite and find that it regulates mitochondrial membrane polarity. Ablation of this protein causes almost complete mitochondrial depolarization in the mosquito vector, which, in turn, leads to a block in malaria parasite transmission. (Images from Matz et al. 2018. Cell Reports , 23(3) 756 - 767)