<i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> PP1 phosphatase is a key regulator of malaria parasite transmission

The protein phosphatase PP1 is a major contributor to total cellular phosphatase activity in eukaryotes and plays a critical role during various cellular processes. Here, we have unraveled novel mechanisms regulated by the phosphatase <i>Pf</i>PP1 in the human malaria parasite <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>. While <i>Pf</i>PP1 is known to be essential for the parasite's asexual proliferation, in the present study, we demonstrate that <i>Pf</i>PP1 is also required during the sexual parasite stages, called gametocytes, that ensure parasite transmission from humans to mosquitoes. <i>Pf</i>PP1 regulates the mechanical properties of the gametocyte-infected host cell, a process necessary for gametocyte persistence in blood circulation. Moreover, <i>Pf</i>PP1 also contributes to the activation of gametocytes into gametes, the stages that pursue the parasite life cycle in mosquitoes. In addition to providing insights into novel mechanisms involved in parasite transmission, this study also highlights the possibility of interfering with the <i>Pf</i>PP1 signaling pathway for blocking malarial parasite transmission.