Publications

1. An essential adaptor for apicoplast fission and inheritance in malaria parasites.

Blauwkamp JA, Rajaram K, Staggers SR, Harrigan O, Doud EH, Prigge ST, Sun SY, Absalon S#. bioRxiv 2025.04.12.648511; doi: 10.1101/2025.04.12.648511. 

2. Multiple redundant carboxylic acid transporters support mitochondrial metabolism in Plasmodium falciparum. 

Rajaram K*, Rangel GW*, Munro JT, Nair SC, Llinás M#, Prigge ST#. J Biol Chem. 2025 May 19:110248. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110248. PMID: 40398604. Pre-printed at bioRxiv. 

1.  The Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast cysteine desulfurase provides sulfur for both iron sulfur cluster assembly and tRNA modification. 

Swift S*, Elahi R*, Rajaram K, Liu HB, Prigge ST#. eLife. 2023; 11:12: e84491.

2. Metabolic responses in blood-stage malaria parasites associated with increased and decreased sensitivity to PfATP4 inhibitors. 

Tewari S, Elahi R, Kwan B, Rajaram K, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Vaidya AB, Wallqvist A#. Malar J. 2023;14;22(1):56. 

3. Metabolic changes accompanying the loss of fumarate hydratase and malate-quinone oxidoreductase in the asexual blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum.

Rajaram K, Tewari SG, Wallqvist A, Prigge ST#. J Biol Chem. 2022; 101897. 

4. Critical role for isoprenoids in apicoplast biogenesis by malaria parasites.

Okada M, Rajaram K, Swift RP, Mixon A, Maschek JA, Prigge ST, Sigala PA#. eLife 2022;11: e73208. Pre-printed at bioRxiv. 

5. Roles of ferredoxin-dependent proteins in the apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum parasites.

Swift RP, Rajaram K, Elahi R, Liu HB, Prigge ST#. mBio 2022;13(1): e0302321. 

6. Metabolic adjustments of blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum in response to sublethal pyrazoleamide exposure. 

Tewari SG, Kwan B, Elahi R, Rajaram K, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Vaidya AB, Wallqvist A#. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):1167.

7. Inter-study and time-dependent variability of metabolite abundance in cultured red blood cells. 

Tewari SG, Rajaram K, Swift RP, Kwan B, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A#. Malar J. 2021;20(1):299.

8. Dephospho-CoA kinase, a nuclear-encoded apicoplast protein, remains active and essential after Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast disruption.

Swift RP, Rajaram K, Liu HB, Prigge ST#. EMBO J. 2021;40(16):e107247.

9.  Metabolic survival adaptations of Plasmodium falciparum exposed to sub-lethal doses of fosmidomycin. 

Tewari SG, Rajaram K, Swift R, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A#. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2021;65(4):e02392-20. 

10. The NTP generating activity of pyruvate kinase II is critical for apicoplast maintenance in Plasmodium falciparum. 

Swift RP, Rajaram K, Keutcha C, Liu HB, Kwan B, Dziedzic A, Jedlicka AE, Prigge ST#. eLife 2020; 9: e50807.

11. A redesigned TetR-aptamer system for control of gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum. 

Rajaram K, Liu H, Prigge ST#. mSphere 2020; 5: e00457-20. Pre-printed at bioRxiv. 

12. A mevalonate bypass system facilitates elucidation of plastid biology in malaria parasites. 

Swift RP, Rajaram K, Liu HB, Dziedzic A, Jedlicka AE, Roberts AD, Matthews KA, Jhun H, Bumpus NN, Tewari S, Wallqvist A, Prigge ST#. PLoS Pathog. 2020; 16(2): e1008316. 

13. Genetic screen in Chlamydia muridarum reveals role for an interferon-induced host cell death program in antimicrobial inclusion rupture. 

Giebel AM*, Hu S*, Rajaram K*, Finethy R, Toh E, Brothwell JA, Morrison SG, Suchland RJ, Stein BD, Coers J, Morrison RP, Nelson DE#. mBio. 2019;10(2). pii: e00385-19. 

14. Short-term metabolic adjustments in Plasmodium falciparum counter hypoxanthine deprivation at the expense of long-term viability. 

Tewari SG, Rajaram K, Schyman P, Swift R, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A#. Malar J. 2019;18(1):86. 

15. Host biotin is required for liver stage development in malaria parasites.

Dellibovi-Ragheb TA, Jhun H, Goodman CD, Walters MS, Ragheb DRT, Matthews KA, Rajaram K, Mishra S, McFadden GI, Sinnis P, Prigge ST#. Proc Natl Acac Sci USA. 2018; 115(11): e2604-e2613. 

16. A malaria transmission-blocking (+)-usnic acid derivative prevents Plasmodium zygote-to-ookinete maturation in the mosquito midgut.

Pastrana-Mena R, Mathias D, Delves M, Rajaram K, King JG, Yee R, Trucchi B, Verotta L, Dinglasan RR#. ACS Chem Biol 2016; 11 (12), 3461-3472. 

17. Chlamydia muridarum infection of RAW 264.7 macrophages elicits bactericidal nitric oxide production via reactive oxygen species and cathepsin B.

Rajaram K, Nelson DE#. Infect Immun 2015; 83(8): 3164-75. 

18. Mutational analysis of the Chlamydia muridarum plasticity zone.

Rajaram K, Giebel A, Toh E, Hu S, Newman J, Morrison S, Laszlo K, Suchland R, Morrison R, Nelson DE#. Infect Immun 2015; 83(7): 2870-81.

19. Probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria present in home made curd in Southern India.

Balamurugan R#, Chandragunasekaran AS, Chellapan G, Rajaram K, Ramamoorthi G, Ramakrishnan BS#. Indian J Med Res 2014; 140(3): 345-355. 

20. Generation of targeted Chlamydia trachomatis null mutants. 

Kari L, Goheen M, Randall L, Taylor L, Carlson J, Whitmire W, Virok D, Rajaram K, Endresz V, McClarty G, Nelson DE, Caldwell H#. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011; 108:7189-7193.