Hijacking of the host cell Golgi by Plasmodium liver stage parasites

The intracellular lifestyle represents a challenge for the rapidly proliferating liver stage Plasmodium parasite. In order to scavenge host resources, Plasmodium has evolved the ability to target and manipulate host cell organelles. Using dynamic fluorescence-based imaging, we show a direct interplay between the pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium berghei and the host cell Golgi during the entire liver stage development. Liver stage schizonts fragment the host cell Golgi into miniaturized stacks, which increases surface interactions with the parasites parasitophorous vacuole membrane. Interference with the host cell Golgi-linked vesicular machinery using specific dominant-negative Arf and Rab GTPases results in developmental arrest and diminished survival of liver stage parasites. Moreover, functional Rab11a is critical for the parasites ability to induce Golgi fragmentation. Altogether, we demonstrate that the structural and functional integrity of the host cell Golgi is necessary for optimal pre-erythrocytic development of P. berghei. The parasite hijacks the hepatocytes Golgi structure to optimize its own intracellular development.