The M strain of P. cynomolgi has been used extensively for studying parasite biology as well as for in vivo drug studies (Kocken et al., 2009, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother). Attempts to adapt this strain to in vitro culture have not been successful. In vivo transfection has been shown to be achievable with this strain (Kocken et al., 1999, Exp. Parasitol.). More recently, this strain is being used to develop more robust transfection technology as well as in vitro cultures of liver stages. We will be obtaining high coverage of Illumina reads (PCR-free where possible) with variable insert lengths and then assemble the genome de novo.
This work is being done in collaboration with Dr. Clemens Kocken, Prof. Alan Thomas and Dr. Erica Pasini (all of BPRC, Rijswijk).
