Figure 6
From: Anti-plasmodial action of de novo-designed, cationic, lysine-branched, amphipathic, helical peptides
Cellular localization of FITC-labelled peptides in Plasmodium falciparum -infected red blood cells. (A) FITC-ΔFd (3 μM) was incubated with parasitized culture (30 min, 37°C). Fluorescence image overlaid on optical image shows that FITC-ΔFd exhibits selective entry into parasitized RBCs. Arrow heads: red (trophozoites showing haemozoin), blue (likely to be ring stages with low fluorescence). (B) FITC-ΔFd and FITC- (ΔFm)2 but not FITC-insulin are internalized by PRBC. The overlay of FITC fluorescence (green) with DAPI (blue) suggests that these two peptides bind to DNA of the parasite. (C)Transport of FITC-ΔFd (4 μM) from RBC surface to parasite: ΔFd has selective affinity for infected RBC (PRBC) surface. The slow entry of FITC-ΔFd into PRBC at 4°C becomes fast at 25°C.