Article
Immunology
Marc-Jan Gubbels, David J. P. Ferguson, Sudeshna Saha, Julia D. Romano, Suyog Chavan, Vincent A. Primo, Cynthia Michaud, Isabelle Coppens, Klemens Engelberg
Summary: Apicomplexa is famous for its apical complex at the top, while the basal complex at the other end has been overshadowed. However, in the past decade, a variety of functions have been associated with the basal complex, and progress has been made in understanding its structure.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhixun Li, Wenjing Du, Jiong Yang, De-Hua Lai, Zhao-Rong Lun, Qiang Guo
Summary: The fine structure of Toxoplasma gondii in its native state is visualized using cryo-electron tomography. The cytoskeleton is found to originate from microtubules, which provides a reference for further studies.
Article
Parasitology
Muzi Li, Jing Liu, Yayun Wu, Yihan Wu, Xiaodong Sun, Yong Fu, Xiao Zhang, Qun Liu
Summary: This study identified the important roles of MCA1 and MCA2 in maturation of IMC1 and endodyogeny in T. gondii. The double-knockout strain showed slower proliferation and was able to develop bradyzoites both in vitro and in vivo.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Juan A. Torres, Rebecca R. Pasquarelli, Peter S. Back, Andy S. Moon, Peter J. Bradley
Summary: The study identifies a novel component of the Toxoplasma gondii IMC, IMC32, which is essential for parasite survival by localizing to developing daughter buds early during endodyogeny. IMC32's localization depends on specific structural domains, and two conserved regions within the C-terminal coiled-coil domains are critical for its function during replication. This provides a potential new therapeutic target for T. gondii and related apicomplexan parasites.
Article
Microbiology
Ramiro Tomasina, Fabiana C. Gonzalez, Erica S. Martins-Duarte, Philippe Bastin, Mathieu Gissot, Maria E. Francia
Summary: Centrosomes are crucial for cell division and formation of the mitotic spindle. This study reveals the important role of the inner core protein TgCep250L1 in Toxoplasma gondii cell division, as its absence leads to nuclear segregation defects and failure to assemble the mitotic spindle.
Article
Microbiology
Fuqiang Fan, Lilan Xue, Xiaoyan Yin, Nishith Gupta, Bang Shen
Summary: Transition from asexual to sexual development in Toxoplasma gondii is controlled by a novel transcription factor, TgAP2XII-1. This factor represses the presexual development in the asexual tachyzoite stage. Parasites lacking AP2XII-1 exhibit a merozoite-type transcriptional profile. This study provides insight into the sexual commitment of T. gondii and suggests a potential method for culturing presexual stages.
Article
Microbiology
Lauren M. Hawkins, Anatoli Naumov, Mrinalini Batra, Changqi Wang, Dale Chaput, Elena S. Suvorova
Summary: In this study, a novel parasite-specific complex, TgCrk6/TgCyc1, was discovered to play a role in regulating the spindle assembly checkpoint. The evolution of replication mechanisms in Toxoplasma differs significantly from conventional cell cycles, with the incorporation of parasite-specific tasks providing essential tools to control the acute stage of infection.
Article
Microbiology
Lauren M. Hawkins, Anatoli V. Naumov, Mrinalini Batra, Changqi Wang, Dale Chaput, Elena S. Suvorova
Summary: This study investigates the process of endodyogeny in Toxoplasma gondii and discovers a novel parasite-specific complex, TgCrk6/TgCyc1, that regulates the spindle assembly checkpoint. The study demonstrates the involvement of parasite-specific tasks in the canonical checkpoint functions and provides insights into the unique replication mechanisms of Apicomplexa parasites.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Safa Amairia, Mariem Rouatbi, Mohamed Ridha Rjeibi, Jacinto Gomes, Mourad Rekik, Mohamed Aziz Darghouth, Mohamed Gharbi
Summary: This study revealed a high prevalence of T. gondii and Sarcocystis spp. in Merguez sausages from Tunisia, with potential significant health risks to humans if consumed undercooked. The study also showed important regional differences in the prevalence of these parasites.
Article
Microbiology
David Arranz-Solis, David Warschkau, Benedikt T. Fabian, Frank Seeber, Jeroen P. J. Saeij
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, shed in feces from infected felines, are highly infectious and can survive in the environment for years. The oocysts have a stable and highly infectious nature, but their ability to resist environmental stressors is not fully understood.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taizo Saito, Yuko Kitamura, Eiji Tanaka, Itsuki Ishigami, Yuji Taniguchi, Junji Moribe, Katsuya Kitoh, Yasuhiro Takashima
Summary: This study investigated the spatial distribution of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild boars in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, revealing significantly higher seroprevalence in wild boars captured in urban areas compared to those in rural areas. The findings provide important insights into the prevalence of zoonotic T. gondii in wild boars and its public health implications.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Carlla Assis Araujo-Silva, Wanderley De Souza, Erica S. Martins-Duarte, Rossiane C. Vommaro
Summary: The redirection of drugs in the pharmaceutical market is a well-known practice to identify new therapies for parasitic diseases. Tubastatin A (TST) and Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid (SAHA), originally developed for cancer treatment, have shown high selectivity and strong anti-proliferative effects against Toxoplasma gondii, making them potential lead compounds for future development of anti-Toxoplasma molecules.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Pedro N. Bernardino, Nicola Pusterla, Patricia A. Conrad, Andrea E. Packham, Eva Tamez-Trevino, Monica Aleman, Kaitlyn James, Woutrina A. Smith
Summary: This study found evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the brain and/or spinal cord of horses with EPM-like disease by detecting anti-T. gondii antibodies in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 210 horses presenting with clinical signs compatible with EPM.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Filippo Maria Dini, Monica Caffara, Joana G. P. Jacinto, Cinzia Benazzi, Arcangelo Gentile, Roberta Galuppi
Summary: This study describes a rare case of bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM) associated with co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Sarcocystis hominis (S. hominis). Through histological, molecular, and serological analyses, the first detection of T. gondii DNA in a BEM case was confirmed. The presence of both pathogens in the lesion, healthy muscle, and meat juice highlights the potential role of co-infection in evoking BEM lesions.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Photini Sinnis, David A. Fidock
Summary: In 2020, malaria caused the death of an estimated 627,000 individuals worldwide, with a majority of deaths occurring in children under the age of five in Africa. The recent approval of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine by the World Health Organization (WHO) offers hope in combating the current resurgence of malaria through combined interventions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giulia Bandini, Deborah R. Leon, Carolin M. Hoppe, Yue Zhang, Carolina Agop-Nersesian, Melanie J. Shears, Lara K. Mahal, Francoise H. Routier, Catherine E. Costello, John Samuelson
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
Joseph A. Anderson, Derron A. Alves, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cezar, Andressa F. da Silva, Fernando H. A. Murata, Jamie K. Norris, Daniel K. Howe, Jitender P. Dubey
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
L. Niklaus, C. Agop-Nersesian, J. Schmuckli-Maurer, R. Wacker, V. Grunig, V. T. Heussler
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Klemens Engelberg, Chun-Ti Chen, Tyler Bechtel, Victoria Sanchez Guzman, Allison A. Drozda, Suyog Chavan, Eranthie Weerapana, Marc-Jan Gubbels
CELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Parasitology
J. A. Scare, P. Dini, J. K. Norris, A. E. Steuer, K. Scoggin, H. S. Gravatte, D. K. Howe, P. Slusarewicz, M. K. Nielsen
Article
Biology
Daniel N. A. Tagoe, Allison A. Drozda, Julia A. Falco, Tyler J. Bechtel, Eranthie Weerapana, Marc-Jan Gubbels
Summary: The invasion process of apicomplexan parasites like Toxoplasma gondii into host cells is facilitated by the sequential exocytosis of microneme, rhoptry, and dense granule organelles. The DOC2 protein family plays a key role in this exocytosis process and Ca2+ helps engage C2 domains with lipids, membranes, and proteins for vesicular trafficking and membrane fusion. Ferlins are important for microneme and rhoptry exocytosis in T. gondii, with ferlins facilitating membrane fusion without SNAREs, especially in apicomplexan parasites.
Review
Immunology
Marc-Jan Gubbels, Isabelle Coppens, Kourosh Zarringhalam, Manoj T. Duraisingh, Klemens Engelberg
Summary: The close-knit group of apicomplexan parasites demonstrate a variety of cell division modes, showing plasticity due to a combination of environmental triggers and hard-wired developmental programs. The division modes and cell cycle progression are influenced by environmental and genetic inputs, resulting in a variety of outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Giulia Bandini, Sebastian Damerow, Maria Lucia Sempaio Guther, Hongjie Guo, Angela Mehlert, Jose Carlos Paredes Franco, Stephen Beverley, Michael A. J. Ferguson
Summary: The study revealed that the fucosyltransferase TbFUT1 is essential for both the mammalian-infective bloodstream form and the insect vector-dwelling procyclic form of Trypanosoma brucei. Interestingly, TbFUT1 was found to be localized in the mitochondrion of T. brucei and is required for mitochondrial function in bloodstream form trypanosomes. Additionally, the TbFUT1 gene was able to complement a Leishmania major mutant lacking the homologous fucosyltransferase gene, indicating a potential therapeutic target for trypanosomatids.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arthur G. Hunt, Daniel K. Howe, Ashley Brown, Michelle Yeargan
Summary: A class of chemical compounds called benzoxaboroles has been found to target mRNA polyadenylation in parasites, showing activity against parasites causing diseases in horses and marine mammals without affecting host cells. These compounds may have the potential to be used in combination with other therapies for controlling parasitic infections in domestic animals.
Article
Microbiology
Vincent A. Primo, Yasaman Rezvani, Andrew Farrell, Connor Q. Murphy, Jingjing Lou, Amir Vajdi, Gabor T. Marth, Kourosh Zarringhalam, Marc-Jan Gubbels
Summary: The application of evolve and resequencing (E&R) in lab adaptation of Toxoplasma gondii for over 1,500 generations revealed the evolution of key traits in the extracellular environment, including the fixated non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the P4 flippase gene. Phenotype-associated genes were mapped and validated, highlighting novel mechanisms underlying in vitro virulence traits. Transcriptional reprogramming played a key role in lab adaptation, augmenting T. gondii's in vitro virulence.
Article
Immunology
Marc-Jan Gubbels, David J. P. Ferguson, Sudeshna Saha, Julia D. Romano, Suyog Chavan, Vincent A. Primo, Cynthia Michaud, Isabelle Coppens, Klemens Engelberg
Summary: Apicomplexa is famous for its apical complex at the top, while the basal complex at the other end has been overshadowed. However, in the past decade, a variety of functions have been associated with the basal complex, and progress has been made in understanding its structure.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi, Yanlin Zhao, Ankita Punetha, Andrew Hemphill, Hong Li, Tyler J. Bechtel, Theresa Rager, Bingcong Xiong, Vasileios Petrou, Marc-Jan Gubbels, Eranthie Weerapana, George S. Yap
Summary: The host cell surface receptor, basigin, and its related immunoglobulin family members play an important role in mediating the attachment of Toxoplasma gondii to host cells.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Klemens Engelberg, Tyler Bechtel, Cynthia Michaud, Eranthie Weerapana, Marc-Jan Gubbels
Summary: This study used a reciprocal proximity based biotinylation approach to map the proteome of the basal complex in Toxoplasma gondii, identifying key components involved in cell division steps and revealing bidirectional daughter budding.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Kourosh Zarringhalam, Sida Ye, Jingjing Lou, Yasaman Rezvani, Marc-Jan Gubbels
Summary: The cell division cycle of T. gondii is regulated by AP2 transcription factors, which drive gene expression and the progression of the lytic cycle. Major changes in gene expression occur during the transition from the cell cycle to the extracellular state or differentiation into bradyzoites, and this transition leads to the expression of a shared set of AP2 transcription factors, indicating a potential shared stress response.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giulia Bandini, Carolina Agop-Nersesian, Hanke van der Wel, Msano Mandalasi, Hyun W. Kim, Christopher M. West, John Samuelson
Summary: The study shows that TgSPY functions as a nucleocytoplasmic O-fucosyltransferase in Toxoplasma gondii, with the ability to modify proteins and hydrolyze GDP-Fuc. While O-fucosylation is important for tachyzoite fitness, the absence of TgSPY is not essential. Therefore, TgSPY likely controls protein levels to respond to new stresses.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)