Kelch mutations in Plasmodium falciparum protein K13 do not modulate dormancy after artemisinin exposure and sorbitol selection in vitro [PublishAheadOfPrint]

Some Kelch mutations of Plasmodium falciparum K13 protein confer increased survival to dihydroartemisinin (DHA)-treated ring-stage parasites. Here, we ask if K13 mutations affect a dormancy phenotype allowing parasites to survive DHA exposure then sorbitol selection. Although recrudescence from dormancy differed between two distinct parasites lines, it was similar for isogenic lines carrying single-site substitutions in K13. Therefore, K13 mutations do not alter the DHA-sorbitol combined dormancy phenotype; traits from other loci likely determine this phenotype.

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