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Jiang Y, Shi Y, Xue Y, Hu D, Song X. AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 Suppress Schizogony Gene Expression in Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5527. [PMID: 38791568 PMCID: PMC11122372 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that is important in medicine and veterinary science and undergoes distinct developmental transitions in its intermediate and definitive hosts. The switch between stages of T. gondii is meticulously regulated by a variety of factors. Previous studies have explored the role of the microrchidia (MORC) protein complex as a transcriptional suppressor of sexual commitment. By utilizing immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, constituents of this protein complex have been identified, including MORC, Histone Deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), and several ApiAP2 transcription factors. Conditional knockout of MORC or inhibition of HDAC3 results in upregulation of a set of genes associated with schizogony and sexual stages in T. gondii tachyzoites. Here, our focus extends to two primary ApiAP2s (AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2), demonstrating their significant impact on the fitness of asexual tachyzoites and their target genes. Notably, the targeted disruption of AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 resulted in a profound alteration in merozoite-specific genes targeted by the MORC-HDAC3 complex. Additionally, considerable overlap was observed in downstream gene profiles between AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2, with AP2XII-1 specifically binding to a subset of ApiAP2 transcription factors, including AP2XI-2. These findings reveal an intricate cascade of ApiAP2 regulatory networks involved in T. gondii schizogony development, orchestrated by AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2. This study provides valuable insights into the transcriptional regulation of T. gondii growth and development, shedding light on the intricate life cycle of this parasitic pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yucong Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.J.); (Y.X.); (D.H.)
| | - Yuehong Shi
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning 530004, China;
| | - Yingying Xue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.J.); (Y.X.); (D.H.)
| | - Dandan Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.J.); (Y.X.); (D.H.)
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning 530004, China;
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xingju Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (Y.J.); (Y.X.); (D.H.)
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning 530004, China;
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning 530004, China
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Baptista CG, Hosking S, Gas-Pascual E, Ciampossine L, Abel S, Hakimi MA, Jeffers V, Le Roch K, West CM, Blader IJ. The Toxoplasma gondii F-Box Protein L2 Functions as a Repressor of Stage Specific Gene Expression. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012269. [PMID: 38814984 PMCID: PMC11166348 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a foodborne pathogen that can cause severe and life-threatening infections in fetuses and immunocompromised patients. Felids are its only definitive hosts, and a wide range of animals, including humans, serve as intermediate hosts. When the transmissible bradyzoite stage is orally ingested by felids, they transform into merozoites that expand asexually, ultimately generating millions of gametes for the parasite sexual cycle. However, bradyzoites in intermediate hosts differentiate exclusively to disease-causing tachyzoites, which rapidly disseminate throughout the host. Though tachyzoites are well-studied, the molecular mechanisms governing transitioning between developmental stages are poorly understood. Each parasite stage can be distinguished by a characteristic transcriptional signature, with one signature being repressed during the other stages. Switching between stages require substantial changes in the proteome, which is achieved in part by ubiquitination. F-box proteins mediate protein poly-ubiquitination by recruiting substrates to SKP1, Cullin-1, F-Box protein E3 ubiquitin ligase (SCF-E3) complexes. We have identified an F-box protein named Toxoplasma gondii F-Box Protein L2 (TgFBXL2), which localizes to distinct perinucleolar sites. TgFBXL2 is stably engaged in an SCF-E3 complex that is surprisingly also associated with a COP9 signalosome complex that negatively regulates SCF-E3 function. At the cellular level, TgFBXL2-depleted parasites are severely defective in centrosome replication and daughter cell development. Most remarkable, RNAseq data show that TgFBXL2 conditional depletion induces the expression of stage-specific genes including a large cohort of genes necessary for sexual commitment. Together, these data suggest that TgFBXL2 is a latent guardian of stage specific gene expression in Toxoplasma and poised to remove conflicting proteins in response to an unknown trigger of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos G. Baptista
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Sarah Hosking
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Elisabet Gas-Pascual
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia United States of America
| | - Loic Ciampossine
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
| | - Victoria Jeffers
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Karine Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. West
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia United States of America
| | - Ira J. Blader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
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Antunes AV, Shahinas M, Swale C, Farhat DC, Ramakrishnan C, Bruley C, Cannella D, Robert MG, Corrao C, Couté Y, Hehl AB, Bougdour A, Coppens I, Hakimi MA. In vitro production of cat-restricted Toxoplasma pre-sexual stages. Nature 2024; 625:366-376. [PMID: 38093015 PMCID: PMC10781626 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06821-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction of Toxoplasma gondii, confined to the felid gut, remains largely uncharted owing to ethical concerns regarding the use of cats as model organisms. Chromatin modifiers dictate the developmental fate of the parasite during its multistage life cycle, but their targeting to stage-specific cistromes is poorly described1,2. Here we found that the transcription factors AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 operate during the tachyzoite stage, a hallmark of acute toxoplasmosis, to silence genes necessary for merozoites, a developmental stage critical for subsequent sexual commitment and transmission to the next host, including humans. Their conditional and simultaneous depletion leads to a marked change in the transcriptional program, promoting a full transition from tachyzoites to merozoites. These in vitro-cultured pre-gametes have unique protein markers and undergo typical asexual endopolygenic division cycles. In tachyzoites, AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 bind DNA as heterodimers at merozoite promoters and recruit MORC and HDAC3 (ref. 1), thereby limiting chromatin accessibility and transcription. Consequently, the commitment to merogony stems from a profound epigenetic rewiring orchestrated by AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2. Successful production of merozoites in vitro paves the way for future studies on Toxoplasma sexual development without the need for cat infections and holds promise for the development of therapies to prevent parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Vera Antunes
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Martina Shahinas
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Christopher Swale
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Dayana C Farhat
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Christophe Bruley
- University Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, UA13 BGE, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Dominique Cannella
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Marie G Robert
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Charlotte Corrao
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Yohann Couté
- University Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, UA13 BGE, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Bougdour
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
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4
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Baptista CG, Hosking S, Gas-Pascual E, Ciampossine L, Abel S, Hakimi MA, Jeffers V, Le Roch K, West CM, Blader IJ. Toxoplasma gondii F-Box Protein L2 Silences Feline-Restricted Genes Necessary for Sexual Commitment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.18.572150. [PMID: 38187549 PMCID: PMC10769283 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.18.572150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a foodborne pathogen that can cause severe and life-threatening infections in fetuses and immunocompromised patients. Felids are its only definitive hosts, and a wide range of animals, including humans, serve as intermediate hosts. When the transmissible bradyzoite stage is orally ingested by felids, they transform into merozoites that expand asexually, ultimately generating millions of gametes for the parasite sexual cycle. However, bradyzoites in intermediate hosts differentiate exclusively to disease-causing tachyzoites, which rapidly disseminate throughout the host. Though tachyzoites are well-studied, the molecular mechanisms governing transitioning between developmental stages are poorly understood. Each parasite stage can be distinguished by a characteristic transcriptional signature, with one signature being repressed during the other stages. Switching between stages requires substantial changes in the proteome, which is achieved in part by ubiquitination. F-box proteins mediate protein poly-ubiquitination by recruiting substrates to SKP1, Cullin-1, F-Box protein E3 ubiquitin ligase (SCF-E3) complexes. We have identified an F-box protein named Toxoplasma gondii F-Box Protein L2 (TgFBXL2), which localizes to distinct nuclear sites. TgFBXL2 is stably engaged in an SCF-E3 complex that is surprisingly also associated with a COP9 signalosome complex that negatively regulates SCF-E3 function. At the cellular level, TgFBXL2-depleted parasites are severely defective in centrosome replication and daughter cell development. Most remarkable, RNA seq data show that TgFBXL2 conditional depletion induces the expression of genes necessary for sexual commitment. We suggest that TgFBXL2 is a latent guardian of sexual stage development in Toxoplasma and poised to remove conflicting proteins in response to an unknown trigger of sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos G. Baptista
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY 14203 USA
| | - Sarah Hosking
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY 14203 USA
| | - Elisabet Gas-Pascual
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - Loic Ciampossine
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521USA
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521USA
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
| | - Victoria Jeffers
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 USA
| | - Karine Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521USA
| | - Christopher M. West
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - Ira J. Blader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY 14203 USA
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Mosqueda J, Hernandez-Silva DJ, Ueti MW, Cruz-Reséndiz A, Marquez-Cervantez R, Valdez-Espinoza UM, Dang-Trinh MA, Nguyen TT, Camacho-Nuez M, Mercado-Uriostegui MA, Aguilar-Tipacamú G, Ramos-Aragon JA, Hernandez-Ortiz R, Kawazu SI, Igarashi I. Spherical Body Protein 4 from Babesia bigemina: A Novel Gene That Contains Conserved B-Cell Epitopes and Induces Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Antibodies in Babesia ovata. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030495. [PMID: 36986418 PMCID: PMC10051436 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine babesiosis is a tick-transmitted disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. Its main causative agents in the Americas are Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis, while Babesia ovata affects cattle in Asia. All Babesia species secrete proteins stored in organelles of the apical complex, which are involved in all steps of the invasion process of vertebrate host cells. Unlike other apicomplexans, which have dense granules, babesia parasites instead have large, round intracellular organelles called spherical bodies. Evidence suggests that proteins from these organelles are released during the process of invading red blood cells, where spherical body proteins (SBPs) play an important role in cytoskeleton reorganization. In this study, we characterized the gene that encodes SBP4 in B. bigemina. This gene is transcribed and expressed in the erythrocytic stages of B. bigemina. The sbp4 gene consists of 834 nucleotides without introns that encode a protein of 277 amino acids. In silico analysis predicted a signal peptide that is cleaved at residue 20, producing a 28.88-kDa protein. The presence of a signal peptide and the absence of transmembrane domains suggest that this protein is secreted. Importantly, when cattle were immunized with recombinant B. bigemina SBP4, antibodies identified B. bigemina and B. ovata merozoites according to confocal microscopy observations and were able to neutralize parasite multiplication in vitro for both species. Four peptides with predicted B-cell epitopes were identified to be conserved in 17 different isolates from six countries. Compared with the pre-immunization sera, antibodies against these conserved peptides reduced parasite invasion in vitro by 57%, 44%, 42%, and 38% for peptides 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively (p < 0.05). Moreover, sera from cattle infected with B. bigemina cattle contained antibodies that recognized the individual peptides. All these results support the concept of spb4 as a new gene in B. bigemina that should be considered a candidate for a vaccine to control bovine babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Mosqueda
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- C.A. Salud Animal y Microbiologia Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Diego Josimar Hernandez-Silva
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- Ph.D. Program in Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Massaro W Ueti
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Adolfo Cruz-Reséndiz
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- Veterinary Medicine Program, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Marquez-Cervantez
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- Veterinary Medicine Program, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Uriel Mauricio Valdez-Espinoza
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- Master's Program in Animal Health and Production, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Av. Universidad 3000, Edificio A, Delegacion Coyoacan, Col. Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
- CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad/INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca-Cuautla #8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico
| | - Minh-Anh Dang-Trinh
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
| | - Thu-Thuy Nguyen
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
| | - Minerva Camacho-Nuez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genomicas, Universidad Autonoma de la Ciudad de Mexico, San Lorenzo 290, Esquina Roberto Gayol, Col. del Valle Sur, Delegacion Benito Juarez, Mexico City 03100, Mexico
| | - Miguel Angel Mercado-Uriostegui
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro 76140, Mexico
- C.A. Salud Animal y Microbiologia Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacamú
- C.A. Salud Animal y Microbiologia Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - Juan Alberto Ramos-Aragon
- CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad/INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca-Cuautla #8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico
| | - Ruben Hernandez-Ortiz
- CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad/INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca-Cuautla #8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kawazu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
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Antunes AV, Shahinas M, Swale C, Farhat DC, Ramakrishnan C, Bruley C, Cannella D, Corrao C, Cout Y, Hehl AB, Bougdour A, Coppens I, Hakimi MA. In vitro production of cat-restricted Toxoplasma pre-sexual stages by epigenetic reprogramming. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.16.524187. [PMID: 36711883 PMCID: PMC9882236 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.16.524187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction of Toxoplasma gondii , which is restricted to the small intestine of felids, is sparsely documented, due to ethical concerns surrounding the use of cats as model organisms. Chromatin modifiers dictate the developmental fate of the parasite during its multistage life cycle, but their targeting to stage-specific cistromes is poorly described 1 . In this study, we found that transcription factors AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2, expressed in tachyzoite stage that causes acute toxoplasmosis, can silence genes necessary for merozoites, a developmental stage critical for sexual commitment and transmission to the next host, including humans. Their conditional and simultaneous depletion leads to a drastic change in the transcriptional program, promoting a complete transition from tachyzoites to merozoites. Pre-gametes produced in vitro under these conditions are characterized by specific protein markers and undergo typical asexual endopolygenic division cycles. In tachyzoites, AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 bind DNA as heterodimers at merozoite promoters and recruit the epigenitors MORC and HDAC3 1 , which in turn restrict the accessibility of chromatin to the transcriptional machinery. Thus, the commitment to merogony stems from a profound epigenetic rewiring orchestrated by AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2. This effective in vitro culture of merozoites paves the way to explore Toxoplasma sexual reproduction without the need to infect kittens and has potential for the development of therapeutics to block parasite transmission.
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A potent HDAC inhibitor blocks Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite growth and profoundly disrupts parasite gene expression. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2022; 59:106526. [PMID: 35041939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2022.106526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a major health issue worldwide especially for immune-deficient individuals and the offspring of newly infected mothers. It is caused by a unicellular intracellular parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. Although the drugs commonly used to treat toxoplasmosis are efficient, they present serious side effects and adverse events are common. Therefore, there is a need for the discovery of new compounds with potent anti-T. gondii activity. We have tested compounds designed to target enzymes that are involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Among the most active compounds, we identified an HDAC inhibitor that shows an IC50 of around 30 nM with a selectivity index of more than 100. MC1742 is active at inhibiting the growth of the parasite in vitro but also at preventing the consequences of the acute disease in vivo. This compound induces hyper-acetylation of histones while acetylated tubulin level remains unchanged. After MC1742 treatment, the parasite expression profile is profoundly changed with the activation of genes preferentially expressed in the sexual stages that are normally repressed at the tachyzoite stage. These findings suggest that this compound disturbs the T. gondii gene expression program, inducing parasite death.
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Yang C, Wang C, Liu J, Liu Q. Biotinylation of the Neospora caninum parasitophorous vacuole reveals novel dense granule proteins. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:521. [PMID: 34625097 PMCID: PMC8501707 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05023-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular parasite that invades host cells and replicates within the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), which resists fusion with host cell lysosomal compartments. To modify the PV, the parasite secretes an array of proteins, including dense granule proteins (GRAs). The vital role of GRAs in the Neospora life cycle cannot be overestimated. Despite this important role, only a subset of these proteins have been identified, and most of their functions have not been elucidated. Our previous study demonstrated that NcGRA17 is specifically targeted to the delimiting membrane of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). In this study, we utilize proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) to identify novel components of the dense granules. Methods NcGRA17 was BirA* epitope-tagged in the Nc1 strain utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system to create a fusion of NcGRA17 with the biotin ligase BirA*. The biotinylated proteins were affinity-purified for mass spectrometric analysis, and the candidate GRA proteins from BioID data set were identified by gene tagging. To verify the biological role of novel identified GRA proteins, we constructed the NcGRA23 and NcGRA11 (a–e) knockout strains using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and analyzed the phenotypes of these mutants. Results Using NcGRA17-BirA* fusion protein as bait, we have identified some known GRAs and verified localization of 11 novel GRA proteins by gene endogenous tagging or overexpression in the Nc1 strain. We proceeded to functionally characterize NcGRA23 and NcGRA11 (a–e) by gene knockout. The lack of NcGRA23 or NcGRA11 (a–e) did not affect the parasite propagation in vitro and virulence in vivo. Conclusions In summary, our findings reveal that BioID is effective in discovering novel constituents of N. caninum dense granules. The exact biological functions of the novel GRA proteins are yet unknown, but this could be explored in future studies. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05023-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congshan Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
| | - Chenrong Wang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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Marugan-Hernandez V, Sanchez-Arsuaga G, Vaughan S, Burrell A, Tomley FM. Do All Coccidia Follow the Same Trafficking Rules? Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11090909. [PMID: 34575057 PMCID: PMC8465013 DOI: 10.3390/life11090909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coccidia are a subclass of the Apicomplexa and include several genera of protozoan parasites that cause important diseases in humans and animals, with Toxoplasma gondii becoming the ‘model organism’ for research into the coccidian molecular and cellular processes. The amenability to the cultivation of T. gondii tachyzoites and the wide availability of molecular tools for this parasite have revealed many mechanisms related to their cellular trafficking and roles of parasite secretory organelles, which are critical in parasite-host interaction. Nevertheless, the extrapolation of the T. gondii mechanisms described in tachyzoites to other coccidian parasites should be done carefully. In this review, we considered published data from Eimeria parasites, a coccidian genus comprising thousands of species whose infections have important consequences in livestock and poultry. These studies suggest that the Coccidia possess both shared and diversified mechanisms of protein trafficking and secretion potentially linked to their lifecycles. Whereas trafficking and secretion appear to be well conversed prior to and during host-cell invasion, important differences emerge once endogenous development commences. Therefore, further studies to validate the mechanisms described in T. gondii tachyzoites should be performed across a broader range of coccidians (including T. gondii sporozoites). In addition, further genus-specific research regarding important disease-causing Coccidia is needed to unveil the individual molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis related to their specific lifecycles and hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Marugan-Hernandez
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)-17-0766-9445
| | - Gonzalo Sanchez-Arsuaga
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
| | - Sue Vaughan
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
| | - Alana Burrell
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK;
| | - Fiona M. Tomley
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
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10
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Liu X, Li C, Li X, Ehsan M, Lu M, Li K, Xu L, Yan R, Song X, Li X. Proteomics analysis reveals that the proto-oncogene eIF-5A indirectly influences the growth, invasion and replication of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:283. [PMID: 34039408 PMCID: PMC8157420 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proliferative stage (tachyzoite) of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is critical for its transmission and pathogenesis, and a proto-oncogene eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF-5A) plays an important role in various cellular processes such as cell multiplication. METHODS We performed a proteomic study to evaluate the specific roles of eIF-5A involved in invasion and replication of T. gondii, and both in vivo and in vitro trials using eIF-5A-interfered and wild tachyzoites were performed to verify the proteomic results. RESULTS The results of our study showed that T. gondii eIF-5A affected tachyzoite growth and also participated in the synthesis of proteins through regulation of both ribosomal and splicing pathways. Inhibition of eIF-5A in T. gondii resulted in the downregulated expression of soluble adhesions, such as microneme protein 1 (MIC1) and MIC4, which in turn decreased the parasite population that adhered to the surface of host cells. The reduced attachment, combined with lower expression of some rhoptry proteins (ROPs) and dense granule antigens (GRAs) involved in different stages of T. gondii invasion such as ROP4 and GRA3, ultimately reduce the invasion efficiency. These processes regulated by eIF-5A eventually affect the replication of tachyzoites. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that eIF-5A influenced tachyzoite survival and was also involved in the process of parasite invasion and replication. These results will provide new clues for further development of targeted drugs to control T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchao Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Regulation and Health, College of Animal Science, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, 233100 People’s Republic of China
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunjing Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Ehsan
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046 Gansu People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingmin Lu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ke Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
- Poultry and Poultry Diseases Institute, Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, 650224 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lixin Xu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruofeng Yan
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaokai Song
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
| | - XiangRui Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People’s Republic of China
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11
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Ramakrishnan C, Smith NC. Recent achievements and doors opened for coccidian parasite research and development through transcriptomics of enteric sexual stages. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2021; 243:111373. [PMID: 33961917 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2021.111373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Coccidia is the largest group of parasites within the Apicomplexa, a phylum of unicellular, obligate parasites characterized by the possession of an apical complex of organelles and structures in the asexual stages of their life cycles, as well as by a sexual reproductive phase that occurs enterically in host animals. Coccidian sexual reproduction involves morphologically distinct microgametes and macrogametes that combine to form a diploid zygote and, ultimately, following meiosis and mitosis, haploid, infectious sporozoites, inside sporocysts within an oocyst. Recent transcriptomic analyses have identified genes involved in coccidian sexual stage development and reproduction, including genes encoding for microgamete- and macrogamete-specific proteins with roles in gamete motility, fusion and fertilization, and in the formation of the resilient oocyst wall that allows coccidians to persist for long periods in the environment. Transcriptomics has also provided important clues about the regulation of gene expression in the transformation of parasites from one developmental stage to the next, a complex sequence of events that may involve transcription factors such as the apicomplexan Apetala2 (ApiAP2) family, alternative splicing, regulatory RNAs and MORC (a microrchida homologue and regulator of sexual stage development in Toxoplasma gondii). The molecular dissection of coccidian sexual development and reproduction by transcriptomic analyses may lead to the development of novel transmission-blocking strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
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Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes a chronic infection that renders the immunocompromised human host susceptible to toxoplasmic encephalitis triggered by cyst reactivation in the central nervous system. The dense granule protein GRA12 is a major parasite virulence factor required for parasite survival during acute infection. Here, we characterized the role of four GRA12-related genes in acute and chronic stages of infection. While GRA12A, GRA12B, and GRA12D were highly expressed in asexual stage tachyzoites and bradyzoites, expression of GRA12C appeared to be restricted to the sexual stages. In contrast to deletion of GRA12 (Δgra12), no major defects in acute virulence were observed in Δgra12A, Δgra12B, or Δgra12D parasites, though Δgra12B parasites exhibited an increased tachyzoite replication rate. Bradyzoites secreted GRA12A, GRA12B, and GRA12D and incorporated these molecules into the developing cyst wall, as well as the cyst matrix in distinct patterns. Similar to GRA12, GRA12A, GRA12B, and GRA12D colocalized with the dense granules in extracellular tachyzoites, with GRA2 and the intravacuolar network in the tachyzoite stage parasitophorous vacuole and with GRA2 in the cyst matrix and cyst wall. Chronic stage cyst burdens were decreased in mice infected with Δgra12A parasites and were increased in mice infected with Δgra12B parasites. However, Δgra12B cysts were not efficiently maintained in vivo Δgra12A, Δgra12B, and Δgra12D in vitro cysts displayed a reduced reactivation efficiency, and reactivation of Δgra12A cysts was delayed. Collectively, our results suggest that a family of genes related to GRA12 play significant roles in the formation, maintenance, and reactivation of chronic stage cysts.IMPORTANCE If host immunity weakens, Toxoplasma gondii cysts recrudesce in the central nervous system and cause a severe toxoplasmic encephalitis. Current therapies target acute stage infection but do not eliminate chronic cysts. Parasite molecules that mediate the development and persistence of chronic infection are poorly characterized. Dense granule (GRA) proteins such as GRA12 are key virulence factors during acute infection. Here, we investigated four GRA12-related genes. GRA12-related genes were not major virulence factors during acute infection. Instead, GRA12-related proteins localized at the cyst wall and cyst matrix and played significant roles in cyst development, persistence, and reactivation during chronic infection. Similar to GRA12, the GRA12-related proteins selectively associated with the intravacuolar network of membranes inside the vacuole. Collectively, our results support the hypothesis that GRA12 proteins associated with the intravacuolar membrane system support parasite virulence during acute infection and cyst development, persistence, and reactivation during chronic infection.
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Martorelli Di Genova B, Knoll LJ. Comparisons of the Sexual Cycles for the Coccidian Parasites Eimeria and Toxoplasma. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:604897. [PMID: 33381466 PMCID: PMC7768002 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.604897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Eimeria spp. are widely prevalent Coccidian parasites that undergo sexual reproduction during their life cycle. T. gondii can infect any warm-blooded animal in its asexual cycle; however, its sexual cycle is restricted to felines. Eimeria spp. are usually restricted to one host species, and their whole life cycle is completed within this same host. The literature reviewed in this article comprises the recent findings regarding the unique biology of the sexual development of T. gondii and Eimeria spp. The molecular basis of sex in these pathogens has been significantly unraveled by new findings in parasite differentiation along with transcriptional analysis of T. gondii and Eimeria spp. pre-sexual and sexual stages. Focusing on the metabolic networks, analysis of these transcriptome datasets shows enrichment for several different metabolic pathways. Transcripts for glycolysis enzymes are consistently more abundant in T. gondii cat infection stages than the asexual tachyzoite stage and Eimeria spp. merozoite and gamete stages compared to sporozoites. Recent breakthroughs in host-pathogen interaction and host restriction have significantly expanded the understating of the unique biology of these pathogens. This review aims to critically explore advances in the sexual cycle of Coccidia parasites with the ultimate goal of comparing and analyzing the sexual cycle of Eimeria spp. and T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura J. Knoll
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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A MORC-driven transcriptional switch controls Toxoplasma developmental trajectories and sexual commitment. Nat Microbiol 2020; 5:570-583. [PMID: 32094587 PMCID: PMC7104380 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0674-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle that is typified by asexual development that takes place in vertebrates, and sexual reproduction, which occurs exclusively in felids and is therefore less studied. The developmental transitions rely on changes in the patterns of gene expression, and recent studies have assigned roles for chromatin shapers, including histone modifications, in establishing specific epigenetic programs for each given stage. Here, we identified the T. gondii microrchidia (MORC) protein as an upstream transcriptional repressor of sexual commitment. MORC, in a complex with Apetala 2 (AP2) transcription factors, was shown to recruit the histone deacetylase HDAC3, thereby impeding the accessibility of chromatin at the genes that are exclusively expressed during sexual stages. We found that MORC-depleted cells underwent marked transcriptional changes, resulting in the expression of a specific repertoire of genes, and revealing a shift from asexual proliferation to sexual differentiation. MORC acts as a master regulator that directs the hierarchical expression of secondary AP2 transcription factors, and these transcription factors potentially contribute to the unidirectionality of the life cycle. Thus, MORC plays a cardinal role in the T. gondii life cycle, and its conditional depletion offers a method to study the sexual development of the parasite in vitro, and is proposed as an alternative to the requirement of T. gondii infections in cats.
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Martorelli Di Genova B, Wilson SK, Dubey JP, Knoll LJ. Intestinal delta-6-desaturase activity determines host range for Toxoplasma sexual reproduction. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000364. [PMID: 31430281 PMCID: PMC6701743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many eukaryotic microbes have complex life cycles that include both sexual and asexual phases with strict species specificity. Whereas the asexual cycle of the protistan parasite Toxoplasma gondii can occur in any warm-blooded mammal, the sexual cycle is restricted to the feline intestine. The molecular determinants that identify cats as the definitive host for T. gondii are unknown. Here, we defined the mechanism of species specificity for T. gondii sexual development and break the species barrier to allow the sexual cycle to occur in mice. We determined that T. gondii sexual development occurs when cultured feline intestinal epithelial cells are supplemented with linoleic acid. Felines are the only mammals that lack delta-6-desaturase activity in their intestines, which is required for linoleic acid metabolism, resulting in systemic excess of linoleic acid. We found that inhibition of murine delta-6-desaturase and supplementation of their diet with linoleic acid allowed T. gondii sexual development in mice. This mechanism of species specificity is the first defined for a parasite sexual cycle. This work highlights how host diet and metabolism shape coevolution with microbes. The key to unlocking the species boundaries for other eukaryotic microbes may also rely on the lipid composition of their environments as we see increasing evidence for the importance of host lipid metabolism during parasitic lifecycles. Pregnant women are advised against handling cat litter, as maternal infection with T. gondii can be transmitted to the fetus with potentially lethal outcomes. Knowing the molecular components that create a conducive environment for T. gondii sexual reproduction will allow for development of therapeutics that prevent shedding of T. gondii parasites. Finally, given the current reliance on companion animals to study T. gondii sexual development, this work will allow the T. gondii field to use of alternative models in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Martorelli Di Genova
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Sarah K. Wilson
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - J. P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Laura J. Knoll
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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16
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Sindikubwabo F, Ding S, Hussain T, Ortet P, Barakat M, Baumgarten S, Cannella D, Palencia A, Bougdour A, Belmudes L, Couté Y, Tardieux I, Botté CY, Scherf A, Hakimi MA. Modifications at K31 on the lateral surface of histone H4 contribute to genome structure and expression in apicomplexan parasites. eLife 2017; 6:29391. [PMID: 29101771 PMCID: PMC5685513 DOI: 10.7554/elife.29391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An unusual genome architecture characterizes the two related human parasitic pathogens Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. A major fraction of the bulk parasite genome is packaged as transcriptionally permissive euchromatin with few loci embedded in silenced heterochromatin. Primary chromatin shapers include histone modifications at the nucleosome lateral surface close to the DNA but their mode of action remains unclear. We now identify versatile modifications at Lys31 within the globular domain of histone H4 that crucially determine genome organization and expression in Apicomplexa parasites. H4K31 acetylation at the promoter correlates with, and perhaps directly regulates, gene expression in both parasites. By contrast, monomethylated H4K31 is enriched in the core body of T. gondii active genes but inversely correlates with transcription, whereas it is unexpectedly enriched at transcriptionally inactive pericentromeric heterochromatin in P. falciparum, a region devoid of the characteristic H3K9me3 histone mark and its downstream effector HP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Sindikubwabo
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Shuai Ding
- Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Institut Pasteur, CNRS, ERL 9195, INSERM, Unit U1201, Paris, France
| | - Tahir Hussain
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Philippe Ortet
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CEA, CNRS, UMR 7265, BIAM-LEMIRE, St-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Mohamed Barakat
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CEA, CNRS, UMR 7265, BIAM-LEMIRE, St-Paul-lez-Durance, France
| | - Sebastian Baumgarten
- Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Institut Pasteur, CNRS, ERL 9195, INSERM, Unit U1201, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Cannella
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Andrés Palencia
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Alexandre Bougdour
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Lucid Belmudes
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, Grenoble, France
| | - Yohann Couté
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Tardieux
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Membrane and Cell Dynamics of Host Parasite Interactions, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Cyrille Y Botté
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team ApicoLipid, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Institut Pasteur, CNRS, ERL 9195, INSERM, Unit U1201, Paris, France
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-pathogen interactions and immunity to infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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