Mutant/mutation
The mutant lacks expression of ASP (Plasmepsin VI, aspartyl protease)

Protein (function)
Unknown. The protein is detected in a proteome analysis of ookinetes and contains a predicted signal sequence and an aspartyl protease domain.

Phenotype
Phenotype analyses indicate a role during oocyst development and sporozoite formation/production (see also additional information).

Additional information
Crossing of the mutant females with wild type males did not rescue the formation/production of sporozoites. Crossing of the mutant males with wild type females resulted in wild type production of sporozoites that were infectious to C57BL/6 mice.
Crossing between other mutants have shown that wild type males can rescue defects in females that affect ookinete invasion and traversal of the midgut wall at 18-30 hours after fertilisation. The lack of rescue of the ∆asp mutant phenotype by crossing of mutant females with wild type males is suggestive of a role of ASP (Plasmepsin VI) within a few hours after fertilisation.
Evidence has been presented for translational repression of the transcript of the gene encoding ASP in the female gametocyte.