{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T05:06:08Z","timestamp":1780031168720,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780012800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    The ability of the human malaria parasite\n                    <jats:italic>Plasmodium falciparum<\/jats:italic>\n                    to remodel its host red blood cell (RBC) is central to the parasite\u2019s ability to survive within the circulation of its host and cause disease. Following invasion, the parasite exports proteins into the RBC cytoplasm where they remodel the membrane skeleton and alter the cell\u2019s biophysical properties. Many of the exported proteins are trafficked through parasite derived structures called Maurer\u2019s clefts in the cytoplasm of the RBC. These clefts act as an intermediate compartment for proteins\n                    <jats:italic>en route<\/jats:italic>\n                    to the RBC membrane such as the major virulence protein,\n                    <jats:italic>Plasmodium falciparum<\/jats:italic>\n                    Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (\n                    <jats:italic>Pf<\/jats:italic>\n                    EMP1). From the Maurer\u2019s clefts,\n                    <jats:italic>Pf<\/jats:italic>\n                    EMP1 is delivered to the RBC membrane through a poorly understood process, which may involve trafficking via a physical connection and\/or vesicle mediated trafficking. Electron-tomography of 3D7 infected RBCs reveals a tube-like structure, called the tether, that connects the Maurer\u2019s clefts to the RBC membrane. To date, the formation and function of these tether structures is unclear, with only one protein, the Membrane Associated Histidine Rich Protein 2 (MAHRP2) known to locate at these structures. In this study, we show that deletion of MAHRP2 leads to a loss of tethers, reduced Maurer\u2019s cleft immobilization at the RBC membrane and an increase in Maurer\u2019s cleft size. Lastly, we show that deletion of MAHRP2 impacts PTP2 related vesicle formation, and a reduced ability to cytoadhere to the endothelial ligands CD36.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2026.1675134","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,29]],"date-time":"2026-05-29T04:53:40Z","timestamp":1780030420000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["MAHRP2 is required for tether formation and cytoadherence in Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Mohini A.","family":"Shibu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Infection and Global Health Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gerald J.","family":"Shami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eric","family":"Hanssen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Ian Holmes Imaging Centre, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olivia M. S.","family":"Carmo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vineet","family":"Vaibhav","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jumana","family":"Yousef","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura F.","family":"Dagley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"James","family":"McCarthy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]},{"name":"Infection and Global Health Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute","place":["Melbourne, VIC, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthew W. 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