A simple and efficient transfection protocol for Cryptosporidium parvum using Polyethylenimine (PEI) and Octaarginine. Issue 10 (4th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nguyen-Ho-Bao, Tran; Berberich, Maxi; Zheng, Wanpeng; Seebach, Dieter; Daugschies, Arwid; Kamena, Faustin
• Is Part Of: Parasitology. Volume 147:Issue 10(2020)
• Page Start: 1065
• Page End: 1070
• Publication Date: 2020-09-04
• Subjects: Cryptosporidium parvum, -- octaarginine, -- polyethylenimine, -- transfection; Parasitology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182020000724
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-1820

Abstract

Abstract: The transfection of Cryptosporidium represents a major challenge, and current protocols are based on electroporation of freshly excysted sporozoites using a rather large amount of plasmid DNA which typically has a very poor yield. In this study, we report a fast and simple protocol for transfection of Cryptosporidium parvum that takes advantage of the DNA condensing power of the poly cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI) and the gene delivery property of the short cell-penetrating peptide octaarginine. Our novel protocol requires a very low amount of plasmid DNA and does not necessitate special laboratory equipment to be performed. Transfection appears to be more efficient in oocysts just triggered for excystation than the excysted sporozoites. Altogether, the application of octaarginine with PEI allows efficient transfection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on an electroporation-free protocol for transfection of sporozoites of a Cryptosporidium species.