Successful malaria transmission mainly depends on successful gametogenesis and gametocytogenesis, which lead to successful gametocyte production which eventually differentiate in to male and female gametocyte. Unlike what it known in other organism, in which sex chromosomes are responsible for sex determination, in Plasmodium species, this mediated by various complex process, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to review the current state of knowledge in the role of various genes towards sex determination in Plasmodium. Various data bases were consulted in order to generate relevant literatures on the topic. Commitment to form gametocytes or asexual parasites occurs before the schizont stage, with each merozoite in a schizont destined to become either a gametocyte or an asexual parasite. Each merozoite forms either a male or female gametocyte, indicating that sex determination also occurs before the schizont stage. Cellular transformation necessary for early sexual differentiation is regulated by several genes, such as pfs16, pf14.744, pf14.748, pfpeg3/mdv1, and pfpeg4, which are expressed at the start of gametocytogenesis. Two transcription factors PfAP2-G and PfAP2-I play a vital role in gametocytogenisis, in which protein encoded by these factors regulate differentiation in to male and female respectively coupled with environmental factors, such as nutrient availability, immune responses, and host-induced stress.
Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum, Gametogenesis, Gametocytogenesis, Sex determination, Transcription factors
