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Pasquarelli RR, Quan JJ, Cheng ES, Yang V, Britton TA, Sha J, Wohlschlegel JA, Bradley PJ. Characterization and functional analysis of Toxoplasma Golgi-associated proteins identified by proximity labelling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.02.578703. [PMID: 38352341 PMCID: PMC10862792 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.578703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii possesses a highly polarized secretory pathway that contains both broadly conserved eukaryotic organelles and unique apicomplexan organelles which play essential roles in the parasite's lytic cycle. As in other eukaryotes, the T. gondii Golgi apparatus sorts and modifies proteins prior to their distribution to downstream organelles. Many of the typical trafficking factors found involved in these processes are missing from apicomplexan genomes, suggesting that these parasites have evolved unique proteins to fill these roles. Here we identify a novel Golgi-localizing protein (ULP1) which contains structural homology to the eukaryotic trafficking factor p115/Uso1. We demonstrate that depletion of ULP1 leads to a dramatic reduction in parasite fitness and replicative ability. Using ULP1 as bait for TurboID proximity labelling and immunoprecipitation, we identify eleven more novel Golgi-associated proteins and demonstrate that ULP1 interacts with the T. gondii COG complex. These proteins include both conserved trafficking factors and parasite-specific proteins. Using a conditional knockdown approach, we assess the effect of each of these eleven proteins on parasite fitness. Together, this work reveals a diverse set of novel T. gondii Golgi-associated proteins that play distinct roles in the secretory pathway. As several of these proteins are absent outside of the Apicomplexa, they represent potential targets for the development of novel therapeutics against these parasites. Importance Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii infect a large percentage of the world's population and cause substantial human disease. These widespread pathogens use specialized secretory organelles to infect their host cells, modulate host cell functions, and cause disease. While the functions of the secretory organelles are now better understood, the Golgi apparatus of the parasite remains largely unexplored, particularly regarding parasite-specific innovations that may help direct traffic intracellularly. In this work, we characterize ULP1, a protein that is unique to parasites but shares structural similarity to the eukaryotic trafficking factor p115/Uso1. We show that ULP1 plays an important role in parasite replication and demonstrate that it interacts with the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex. We then use ULP1 proximity labelling to identify eleven additional Golgi-associated proteins which we functionally analyze via conditional knockdown. This work expands our knowledge of the Toxoplasma Golgi apparatus and identifies potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Chen X, Qiu X, Ni J, Liao S, Qi N, Li J, Lv M, Lin X, Cai H, Hu J, Song Y, Yin L, Zhu Y, Zhang J, Zhang H, Sun M. Immunoprotective effects of DNA vaccine against Eimeria tenella based on EtAMA3 and EtRON2 L2. Vet Parasitol 2024; 327:110141. [PMID: 38367528 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Eimeria tenella is the most pathogenic and harmful intestinal parasitic protozoan. Recombinant DNA vaccines open options for promising strategies for preventing avian coccidiosis, replacing chemical drugs and live oocyst vaccines. Two important antigenic proteins, EtAMA3 (also known as SporoAMA1) and EtRON2L2, act together to promote the invasion of E. tenella sporozoites. In this study, a recombinant DNA vaccine, designated pcDNA3.1(+)-AR, was constructed based on EtAMA3DII, EtRON2L2D3, and EtRON2L2D4. Chickens were intramuscularly immunized with different doses (25, 50, or 100 μg) of pcDNA3.1(+)-AR to evaluate its immunoprotective effects in vivo. The chickens in the 50 μg and 100 μg groups had higher cytokine concentrations (interleukin 2, interferon-gamma, and interleukin 10), and lesion scores (81.9% and 67.57%, respectively) and relative oocyst production (47% and 19%, respectively) reduced compared with the unchallenged group, indicating partial protection against E. tenella. These results suggest that pcDNA3.1(+)-AR is a promising vaccine candidate against avian coccidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xixi Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Junli Ni
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Shenquan Liao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Nanshan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Minna Lv
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xuhui Lin
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Haiming Cai
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Junjing Hu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yongle Song
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Lijun Yin
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yibin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jianfei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Haoji Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Mingfei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases Prevention and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
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Cuy-Chaparro L, Barney-Borrero D, Arévalo-Pinzón G, Reyes C, Moreno-Pérez DA, Patarroyo MA. Babesia bovis RON2 binds to bovine erythrocytes through a highly conserved epitope. Vet Parasitol 2024; 326:110081. [PMID: 38113611 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
B. bovis invasion of bovine erythrocytes requires tight junction formation involving AMA-1/RON2 complex interaction. RON2 has been considered a vaccine candidate since antibodies targeting the protein can inhibit parasite invasion of target cells; however, the mechanism controlling B. bovis RON2 interaction with red blood cells is not yet fully understood. This study was thus aimed at identifying B. bovis RON2 protein regions associated with interaction with bovine erythrocytes. Natural selection analysis of the ron2 gene identified predominantly negative selection signals in the C-terminal region. Interestingly, protein-cell and competition assays highlighted the RON2-C region's role in peptide 42918-mediated erythrocyte binding, probably to a sialoglycoprotein receptor. This peptide (1218SFIMVKPPALHCVLKPVETL1237) lies within an intrinsically disordered region of the RON2 secondary structure flanked by two helical residues. The study provides, for the first time, valuable insights into RON2's role in interaction with its target cells. Future studies are required for studying the peptide's potential as an anti-B. bovis vaccine component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cuy-Chaparro
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia [FIDIC], Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia; PhD Programme in Biotechnology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45#26-85, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia.
| | - Danny Barney-Borrero
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia [FIDIC], Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia.
| | - Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Receptor-Ligand Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia [FIDIC], Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia.
| | - César Reyes
- Structure Analysis Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia [FIDIC], Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia.
| | - Darwin Andrés Moreno-Pérez
- Animal Science Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales [U.D.C.A.], Calle 222#55-37, Bogotá DC 111166, Colombia.
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia [FIDIC], Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia; Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45#26-85, Bogotá DC 111321, Colombia.
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4
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Takashima E, Otsuki H, Morita M, Ito D, Nagaoka H, Yuguchi T, Hassan I, Tsuboi T. The Need for Novel Asexual Blood-Stage Malaria Vaccine Candidates for Plasmodium falciparum. Biomolecules 2024; 14:100. [PMID: 38254700 PMCID: PMC10813614 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010100] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive control efforts have significantly reduced malaria cases and deaths over the past two decades, but in recent years, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, success has stalled. The WHO has urged the implementation of a number of interventions, including vaccines. The modestly effective RTS,S/AS01 pre-erythrocytic vaccine has been recommended by the WHO for use in sub-Saharan Africa against Plasmodium falciparum in children residing in moderate to high malaria transmission regions. A second pre-erythrocytic vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, was also recommended by the WHO on 3 October 2023. However, the paucity and limitations of pre-erythrocytic vaccines highlight the need for asexual blood-stage malaria vaccines that prevent disease caused by blood-stage parasites. Few asexual blood-stage vaccine candidates have reached phase 2 clinical development, and the challenges in terms of their efficacy include antigen polymorphisms and low immunogenicity in humans. This review summarizes the history and progress of asexual blood-stage malaria vaccine development, highlighting the need for novel candidate vaccine antigens/molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; (M.M.); (H.N.); (T.Y.); (I.H.)
| | - Hitoshi Otsuki
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (H.O.); (D.I.)
| | - Masayuki Morita
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; (M.M.); (H.N.); (T.Y.); (I.H.)
| | - Daisuke Ito
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (H.O.); (D.I.)
| | - Hikaru Nagaoka
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; (M.M.); (H.N.); (T.Y.); (I.H.)
| | - Takaaki Yuguchi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; (M.M.); (H.N.); (T.Y.); (I.H.)
| | - Ifra Hassan
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; (M.M.); (H.N.); (T.Y.); (I.H.)
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
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Valleau D, Sidik SM, Godoy LC, Acevedo‐Sánchez Y, Pasaje CFA, Huynh M, Carruthers VB, Niles JC, Lourido S. A conserved complex of microneme proteins mediates rhoptry discharge in Toxoplasma. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113155. [PMID: 37886905 PMCID: PMC10690463 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113155] [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: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites discharge specialized organelles called rhoptries upon host cell contact to mediate invasion. The events that drive rhoptry discharge are poorly understood, yet essential to sustain the apicomplexan parasitic life cycle. Rhoptry discharge appears to depend on proteins secreted from another set of organelles called micronemes, which vary in function from allowing host cell binding to facilitation of gliding motility. Here we examine the function of the microneme protein CLAMP, which we previously found to be necessary for Toxoplasma gondii host cell invasion, and demonstrate its essential role in rhoptry discharge. CLAMP forms a distinct complex with two other microneme proteins, the invasion-associated SPATR, and a previously uncharacterized protein we name CLAMP-linked invasion protein (CLIP). CLAMP deficiency does not impact parasite adhesion or microneme protein secretion; however, knockdown of any member of the CLAMP complex affects rhoptry discharge. Phylogenetic analysis suggests orthologs of the essential complex components, CLAMP and CLIP, are ubiquitous across apicomplexans. SPATR appears to act as an accessory factor in Toxoplasma, but despite incomplete conservation is also essential for invasion during Plasmodium falciparum blood stages. Together, our results reveal a new protein complex that mediates rhoptry discharge following host-cell contact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luiz C Godoy
- Department of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | | | | | - My‐Hang Huynh
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Jacquin C Niles
- Department of Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead InstituteCambridgeMAUSA
- Biology DepartmentMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
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Chan AW, Broncel M, Yifrach E, Haseley NR, Chakladar S, Andree E, Herneisen AL, Shortt E, Treeck M, Lourido S. Analysis of CDPK1 targets identifies a trafficking adaptor complex that regulates microneme exocytosis in Toxoplasma. eLife 2023; 12:RP85654. [PMID: 37933960 PMCID: PMC10629828 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85654] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites use Ca2+-regulated exocytosis to secrete essential virulence factors from specialized organelles called micronemes. Ca2+-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are required for microneme exocytosis; however, the molecular events that regulate trafficking and fusion of micronemes with the plasma membrane remain unresolved. Here, we combine sub-minute resolution phosphoproteomics and bio-orthogonal labeling of kinase substrates in Toxoplasma gondii to identify 163 proteins phosphorylated in a CDPK1-dependent manner. In addition to known regulators of secretion, we identify uncharacterized targets with predicted functions across signaling, gene expression, trafficking, metabolism, and ion homeostasis. One of the CDPK1 targets is a putative HOOK activating adaptor. In other eukaryotes, HOOK homologs form the FHF complex with FTS and FHIP to activate dynein-mediated trafficking of endosomes along microtubules. We show the FHF complex is partially conserved in T. gondii, consisting of HOOK, an FTS homolog, and two parasite-specific proteins (TGGT1_306920 and TGGT1_316650). CDPK1 kinase activity and HOOK are required for the rapid apical trafficking of micronemes as parasites initiate motility. Moreover, parasites lacking HOOK or FTS display impaired microneme protein secretion, leading to a block in the invasion of host cells. Taken together, our work provides a comprehensive catalog of CDPK1 targets and reveals how vesicular trafficking has been tuned to support a parasitic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex W Chan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Malgorzata Broncel
- Signaling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Eden Yifrach
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
| | - Nicole R Haseley
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
| | | | - Elena Andree
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
| | - Alice L Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Emily Shortt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signaling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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Gao Y, Shen Y, Fan J, Ding H, Zheng B, Yu H, Huang S, Kong Q, Lv H, Zhuo X, Lu S. Establishment and application of an iELISA detection method for measuring apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) antibodies of Toxoplasma gondii in cats. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:229. [PMID: 37924072 PMCID: PMC10623812 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03775-1] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diseases caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) have introduced serious threats to public health. There is an urgent need to develop a rapid detection method for T. gondii infection in cats, which are definitive hosts. Recombinant apical membrane antigen 1 (rAMA1) was produced in a prokaryotic expression system and used as the detection antigen. The aim of this study was to evaluate and optimize a reliable indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) method based on rAMA1 for the detection of antibodies against T. gondii in cats. RESULTS The rAMA1-iELISA method was developed and optimized by the chessboard titration method. There were no cross-reactions between T. gondii-positive cat serum and positive serum for other pathogens, indicating that rAMA1-iELISA could only detect T. gondii in most cases. The lowest detection limit of rAMA1-iELISA was 1:3200 (dilution of positive serum), and the CV of repeated tests within batches and between batches were confirmed to be less than 10%. The results of 247 cat serum samples detected by rAMA1-iELISA (kappa value = 0.622, p < 0.001) were in substantial agreement with commercial ELISA. The ROC curve analysis revealed the higher overall check accuracy of rAMA1-iELISA (sensitivity = 91.7%, specificity = 93.6%, AUC = 0.956, 95% CI 0.905 to 1.000) than GRA7-based iELISA (sensitivity = 91.7%, specificity = 85.5%, AUC = 0.936, 95% CI 0.892 to 0.980). Moreover, the positive rate of rAMA1-iELISA (6.5%, 16/247) was higher than that of GRA7-based iELISA (3.6%, 9/247) and that of commercial ELISA kit (4.9%, 12/247). CONCLUSION The iELISA method with good specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility was established and can be used for large-scale detection of T. gondii infection in clinical cat samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafan Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Shen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiyuan Fan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haojie Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haijie Yu
- Jiaxing Vocational & Technical College, Jiaxing, 314036, China
| | - Siyang Huang
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Qingming Kong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangjun Lv
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xunhui Zhuo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Shaohong Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Novel Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Tech Vaccine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
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8
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de Souza Teles ER, de Araujo Portes J, de Souza W. New morphological observations on the initial events of Toxoplasma gondii entry into host cells. Vet Parasitol 2023; 322:110006. [PMID: 37633244 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan of worldwide distribution. It is effective in the infection of various homoeothermic animals of economic importance. The process of T. gondii invasion of host cells occurs in less than 20 s by the active mechanism of penetration. First, a mobile junction is formed due to the association between the apical end of the parasite and the host cell surface. Then, the secretion of invasive and docking proteins allows the formation of the mobile junction before the complete internalization of the parasite. Here, using high-resolution microscopy, it was described new morphological observations of the early events of host cell invasion by tachyzoites of T. gondii. Attempts were made to synchronize the interaction process using low temperatures and treatment of the host cells with cytochalasin D, a drug that interferes with the actin dynamics. Images were obtained showing that the parasite and the host cells seem to release small vesicles with diameters varying from 25 to 100 nm. Furthermore, tunneling nanotubes emerge from the host cell surface and interact with the parasite even at long distance. These observations add new details of adhesion and entry events, such as surface projections of the host cell plasma membrane, pseudopods, and nanotubes radiating from the host cell toward the parasite. In addition, scanning microscopy revealed intense vesiculation, with a morphological characteristic of extracellular microvesicles, during the entry of the tachyzoite into the host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Everson Reili de Souza Teles
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina de Precisão, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliana de Araujo Portes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina de Precisão, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina de Precisão, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem - INBEB, and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Centro de Estudos Biomédicos-CMABio, Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
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9
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Patel PN, Dickey TH, Diouf A, Salinas ND, McAleese H, Ouahes T, Long CA, Miura K, Lambert LE, Tolia NH. Structure-based design of a strain transcending AMA1-RON2L malaria vaccine. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5345. [PMID: 37660103 PMCID: PMC10475129 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40878-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a key malaria vaccine candidate and target of neutralizing antibodies. AMA1 binds to a loop in rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2L) to form the moving junction during parasite invasion of host cells, and this complex is conserved among apicomplexan parasites. AMA1-RON2L complex immunization achieves higher growth inhibitory activity than AMA1 alone and protects mice against Plasmodium yoelii challenge. Here, three single-component AMA1-RON2L immunogens were designed that retain the structure of the two-component AMA1-RON2L complex: one structure-based design (SBD1) and two insertion fusions. All immunogens elicited high antibody titers with potent growth inhibitory activity, yet these antibodies did not block RON2L binding to AMA1. The SBD1 immunogen induced significantly more potent strain-transcending neutralizing antibody responses against diverse strains of Plasmodium falciparum than AMA1 or AMA1-RON2L complex vaccination. This indicates that SBD1 directs neutralizing antibody responses to strain-transcending epitopes in AMA1 that are independent of RON2L binding. This work underscores the importance of neutralization mechanisms that are distinct from RON2 blockade. The stable single-component SBD1 immunogen elicits potent strain-transcending protection that may drive the development of next-generation vaccines for improved malaria and apicomplexan parasite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palak N Patel
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thayne H Dickey
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ababacar Diouf
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Nichole D Salinas
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Holly McAleese
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tarik Ouahes
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Lynn E Lambert
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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10
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Chan AW, Broncel M, Yifrach E, Haseley N, Chakladar S, Andree E, Herneisen AL, Shortt E, Treeck M, Lourido S. Analysis of CDPK1 targets identifies a trafficking adaptor complex that regulates microneme exocytosis in Toxoplasma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.11.523553. [PMID: 36712004 PMCID: PMC9882037 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites use Ca2+-regulated exocytosis to secrete essential virulence factors from specialized organelles called micronemes. Ca2+-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are required for microneme exocytosis; however, the molecular events that regulate trafficking and fusion of micronemes with the plasma membrane remain unresolved. Here, we combine sub-minute resolution phosphoproteomics and bio-orthogonal labeling of kinase substrates in Toxoplasma gondii to identify 163 proteins phosphorylated in a CDPK1-dependent manner. In addition to known regulators of secretion, we identify uncharacterized targets with predicted functions across signaling, gene expression, trafficking, metabolism, and ion homeostasis. One of the CDPK1 targets is a putative HOOK activating adaptor. In other eukaryotes, HOOK homologs form the FHF complex with FTS and FHIP to activate dynein-mediated trafficking of endosomes along microtubules. We show the FHF complex is partially conserved in T. gondii, consisting of HOOK, an FTS homolog, and two parasite-specific proteins (TGGT1_306920 and TGGT1_316650). CDPK1 kinase activity and HOOK are required for the rapid apical trafficking of micronemes as parasites initiate motility. Moreover, parasites lacking HOOK or FTS display impaired microneme protein secretion, leading to a block in the invasion of host cells. Taken together, our work provides a comprehensive catalog of CDPK1 targets and reveals how vesicular trafficking has been tuned to support a parasitic lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex W Chan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Malgorzata Broncel
- Signaling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Eden Yifrach
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicole Haseley
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Elena Andree
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alice L Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily Shortt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signaling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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11
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Ferrel A, Romano J, Panas MW, Coppens I, Boothroyd JC. Host MOSPD2 enrichment at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane varies between Toxoplasma strains and involves complex interactions. mSphere 2023; 8:e0067022. [PMID: 37341482 PMCID: PMC10449529 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00670-22] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular parasite. Infection of a cell produces a unique niche for the parasite named the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) initially composed of host plasma membrane invaginated during invasion. The PV and its membrane (parasitophorous vacuole membrane [PVM]) are subsequently decorated with a variety of parasite proteins allowing the parasite to optimally grow in addition to manipulate host processes. Recently, we reported a proximity-labeling screen at the PVM-host interface and identified host endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident motile sperm domain-containing protein 2 (MOSPD2) as being enriched at this location. Here we extend these findings in several important respects. First, we show that the extent and pattern of host MOSPD2 association with the PVM differ dramatically in cells infected with different strains of Toxoplasma. Second, in cells infected with Type I RH strain, the MOSPD2 staining is mutually exclusive with regions of the PVM that associate with mitochondria. Third, immunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with epitope-tagged MOSPD2-expressing host cells reveal strong enrichment of several PVM-localized parasite proteins, although none appear to play an essential role in MOSPD2 association. Fourth, most MOSPD2 associating with the PVM is newly translated after infection of the cell and requires the major functional domains of MOSPD2, identified as the CRAL/TRIO domain and tail anchor, although these domains were not sufficient for PVM association. Lastly, ablation of MOSPD2 results in, at most, a modest impact on Toxoplasma growth in vitro. Collectively, these studies provide new insight into the molecular interactions involving MOSPD2 at the dynamic interface between the PVM and the host cytosol. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular pathogen that lives within a membranous vacuole inside of its host cell. This vacuole is decorated by a variety of parasite proteins that allow it to defend against host attack, acquire nutrients, and interact with the host cell. Recent work identified and validated host proteins enriched at this host-pathogen interface. Here, we follow up on one candidate named MOSPD2 shown to be enriched at the vacuolar membrane and describe it as having a dynamic interaction at this location depending on a variety of factors. Some of these include the presence of host mitochondria, intrinsic domains of the host protein, and whether translation is active. Importantly, we show that MOSPD2 enrichment at the vacuole membrane differs between strains indicating active involvement of the parasite with this phenotype. Altogether, these results shed light on the mechanism and role of protein associations in the host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Ferrel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Julia Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael W. Panas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John C. Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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12
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Liu Q, Guan XA, Li DF, Zheng YX, Wang S, Xuan XN, Zhao JL, He L. Babesia gibsoni Whole-Genome Sequencing, Assembling, Annotation, and Comparative Analysis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0072123. [PMID: 37432130 PMCID: PMC10434002 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00721-23] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite Babesia gibsoni infects canine erythrocytes and causes babesiosis. The hazards to animal health have increased due to the rise of B. gibsoni infections and medication resistance. However, the lack of high-quality full-genome sequencing sets has expanded the obstacles to the development of pathogeneses, drugs, and vaccines. In this study, the whole genome of B. gibsoni was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The genomic size of B. gibsoni was 7.94 Mbp in total. Four chromosomes with the size of 0.69 Mb, 2.10 Mb, 2.77 Mb, and 2.38 Mb, respectively, 1 apicoplast (28.4 Kb), and 1 mitochondrion (5.9 Kb) were confirmed. KEGG analysis revealed 2,641 putative proteins enriched on 316 pathways, and GO analysis showed 7,571 annotations of the nuclear genome in total. Synteny analysis showed a high correlation between B. gibsoni and B. bovis. A new divergent point of B. gibsoni occurred around 297.7 million years ago, which was earlier than that of B. bovis, B. ovata, and B. bigemina. Orthology analysis revealed 22 and 32 unique genes compared to several Babesia spp. and apicomplexan species. The metabolic pathways of B.gibsoni were characterized, pointing to a minimal size of the genome. A species-specific secretory protein SA1 and 19 homologous genes were identified. Selected specific proteins, including apetala 2 (AP2) factor, invasion-related proteins BgAMA-1 and BgRON2, and rhoptry function proteins BgWH_04g00700 were predicted, visualized, and modeled. Overall, whole-genome sequencing provided molecular-level support for the diagnosis, prevention, clinical treatment, and further research of B. gibsoni. IMPORTANCE The whole genome of B. gibsoni was first sequenced, annotated, and disclosed. The key part of genome composition, four chromosomes, was comparatively analyzed for the first time. A full-scale phylogeny evolution analysis based on the whole-genome-wide data of B. gibsoni was performed, and a new divergent point on the evolutionary path was revealed. In previous reports, molecular studies were often limited by incomplete genomic data, especially in key areas like life cycle regulation, metabolism, and host-pathogen interaction. With the whole-genome sequencing of B. gibsoni, we provide useful genetic data to encourage the exploration of new terrain and make it feasible to resolve the theoretical and practical problems of babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing-Ai Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dong-Fang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ya-Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue-Nan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lan He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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13
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Kelsen A, Kent RS, Snyder AK, Wehri E, Bishop SJ, Stadler RV, Powell C, Martorelli di Genova B, Rompikuntal PK, Boulanger MJ, Warshaw DM, Westwood NJ, Schaletzky J, Ward GE. MyosinA is a druggable target in the widespread protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002110. [PMID: 37155705 PMCID: PMC10185354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002110] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that can cause severe disease in its human hosts. The ability of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites to invade into, egress from, and move between cells of the hosts they infect is critical to parasite virulence and disease progression. An unusual and highly conserved parasite myosin motor (TgMyoA) plays a central role in T. gondii motility. The goal of this work was to determine whether the parasite's motility and lytic cycle can be disrupted through pharmacological inhibition of TgMyoA, as an approach to altering disease progression in vivo. To this end, we first sought to identify inhibitors of TgMyoA by screening a collection of 50,000 structurally diverse small molecules for inhibitors of the recombinant motor's actin-activated ATPase activity. The top hit to emerge from the screen, KNX-002, inhibited TgMyoA with little to no effect on any of the vertebrate myosins tested. KNX-002 was also active against parasites, inhibiting parasite motility and growth in culture in a dose-dependent manner. We used chemical mutagenesis, selection in KNX-002, and targeted sequencing to identify a mutation in TgMyoA (T130A) that renders the recombinant motor less sensitive to compound. Compared to wild-type parasites, parasites expressing the T130A mutation showed reduced sensitivity to KNX-002 in motility and growth assays, confirming TgMyoA as a biologically relevant target of KNX-002. Finally, we present evidence that KNX-002 can slow disease progression in mice infected with wild-type parasites, but not parasites expressing the resistance-conferring TgMyoA T130A mutation. Taken together, these data demonstrate the specificity of KNX-002 for TgMyoA, both in vitro and in vivo, and validate TgMyoA as a druggable target in infections with T. gondii. Since TgMyoA is essential for virulence, conserved in apicomplexan parasites, and distinctly different from the myosins found in humans, pharmacological inhibition of MyoA offers a promising new approach to treating the devastating diseases caused by T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kelsen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Anne K. Snyder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Eddie Wehri
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Bishop
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel V. Stadler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Cameron Powell
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Bruno Martorelli di Genova
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Pramod K. Rompikuntal
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Martin J. Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - David M. Warshaw
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Westwood
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Schaletzky
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Gary E. Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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14
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Dubois DJ, Chehade S, Marq JB, Venugopal K, Maco B, Puig ATI, Soldati-Favre D, Marion S. Toxoplasma gondii HOOK-FTS-HIP Complex is Critical for Secretory Organelle Discharge during Motility, Invasion, and Egress. mBio 2023:e0045823. [PMID: 37093045 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00458-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the Apicomplexa phylum possess specialized secretory organelles that discharge, apically and in a timely regulated manner, key factors implicated in parasite motility, host cell invasion, egress and subversion of host cellular functions. The mechanisms regulating trafficking and apical docking of these secretory organelles are only partially elucidated. Here, we characterized two conserved endosomal trafficking regulators known to promote vesicle transport and/or fusion, HOOK and Fused Toes (FTS), in the context of organelle discharge in Toxoplasma gondii. TgHOOK and TgFTS form a complex with a coccidian-specific partner, named HOOK interacting partner (HIP). TgHOOK displays an apically enriched vesicular pattern and concentrates at the parasite apical tip where it colocalizes with TgFTS and TgHIP. Functional investigations revealed that TgHOOK is dispensable but fitness conferring. The protein regulates the apical positioning and secretion of micronemes and contributes to egress, motility, host cell attachment, and invasion. Conditional depletion of TgFTS or TgHIP impacted on the same processes but led to more severe phenotypes. This study provides evidence of endosomal trafficking regulators involved in the apical exocytosis of micronemes and possibly as a consequence or directly on the discharge of the rhoptries. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii affects between 30 and 80% of the human population, poses a life-threatening risk to immunocompromised individuals, and is a cause of abortion and birth defects following congenital transmission. T. gondii belongs to the phylum of Apicomplexa characterized by a set of unique apical secretory organelles called the micronemes and rhoptries. Upon host cell recognition, this obligatory intracellular parasite secretes specific effectors contained in micronemes and rhoptries to promote parasite invasion of host cells and subsequent persistence. Here, we identified novel T. gondii endosomal trafficking regulators and demonstrated that they regulate microneme organelle apical positioning and exocytosis, thereby strongly contributing to host cell invasion and parasite virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Dubois
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sylia Chehade
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Marq
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kannan Venugopal
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Bohumil Maco
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Albert Tell I Puig
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Marion
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
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15
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Back PS, Moon AS, Pasquarelli RR, Bell HN, Torres JA, Chen AL, Sha J, Vashisht AA, Wohlschlegel JA, Bradley PJ. IMC29 Plays an Important Role in Toxoplasma Endodyogeny and Reveals New Components of the Daughter-Enriched IMC Proteome. mBio 2023; 14:e0304222. [PMID: 36622147 PMCID: PMC9973257 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03042-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Toxoplasma inner membrane complex (IMC) is a unique organelle that plays critical roles in parasite motility, invasion, egress, and replication. The IMC is delineated into the apical, body, and basal regions, defined by proteins that localize to these distinct subcompartments. The IMC can be further segregated by proteins that localize specifically to the maternal IMC, the daughter bud IMC, or both. While the function of the maternal IMC has been better characterized, the precise roles of most daughter IMC components remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the daughter protein IMC29 plays an important role in parasite replication. We show that Δimc29 parasites exhibit severe replication defects, resulting in substantial growth defects and loss of virulence. Deletion analyses revealed that IMC29 localization is largely dependent on the N-terminal half of the protein containing four predicted coiled-coil domains while IMC29 function requires a short C-terminal helical region. Using proximity labeling, we identify eight novel IMC proteins enriched in daughter buds, significantly expanding the daughter IMC proteome. We additionally report four novel proteins with unique localizations to the interface between two parasites or to the outer face of the IMC, exposing new subregions of the organelle. Together, this work establishes IMC29 as an important early daughter bud component of replication and uncovers an array of new IMC proteins that provides important insights into this organelle. IMPORTANCE The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a conserved structure across the Apicomplexa phylum, which includes obligate intracellular parasites that cause toxoplasmosis, malaria, and cryptosporidiosis. The IMC is critical for the parasite to maintain its intracellular lifestyle, particularly in providing a scaffold for daughter bud formation during parasite replication. While many IMC proteins in the later stages of division have been identified, components of the early stages of division remain unknown. Here, we focus on the early daughter protein IMC29, demonstrating that it is crucial for faithful parasite replication and identifying specific regions of the protein that are important for its localization and function. We additionally use proximity labeling to reveal a suite of daughter-enriched IMC proteins, which represent promising candidates to further explore this IMC subcompartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S. Back
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andy S. Moon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Hannah N. Bell
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Juan A. Torres
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Allan L. Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jihui Sha
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ajay A. Vashisht
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - James A. Wohlschlegel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Peter J. Bradley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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16
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Defining species-specific and conserved interactions of apical membrane protein 1 during erythrocyte invasion in malaria to inform multi-species vaccines. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:74. [PMID: 36847896 PMCID: PMC9969379 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04712-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax are the major causes of human malaria, and P. knowlesi is an important additional cause in SE Asia. Binding of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) to rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) was thought to be essential for merozoite invasion of erythrocytes by Plasmodium spp. Our findings reveal that P. falciparum and P. vivax have diverged and show species-specific binding of AMA1 to RON2, determined by a β-hairpin loop in RON2 and specific residues in AMA1 Loop1E. In contrast, cross-species binding of AMA1 to RON2 is retained between P. vivax and P. knowlesi. Mutation of specific amino acids in AMA1 Loop1E in P. falciparum or P. vivax ablated RON2 binding without impacting erythrocyte invasion. This indicates that the AMA1-RON2-loop interaction is not essential for invasion and additional AMA1 interactions are involved. Mutations in AMA1 that disrupt RON2 binding also enable escape of invasion inhibitory antibodies. Therefore, vaccines and therapeutics will need to be broader than targeting only the AMA1-RON2 interaction. Antibodies targeting AMA1 domain 3 had greater invasion-inhibitory activity when RON2-loop binding was ablated, suggesting this domain is a promising additional target for vaccine development. Targeting multiple AMA1 interactions involved in invasion may enable vaccines that generate more potent inhibitory antibodies and address the capacity for immune evasion. Findings on specific residues for invasion function and species divergence and conservation can inform novel vaccines and therapeutics against malaria caused by three species, including the potential for cross-species vaccines.
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17
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Singer M, Simon K, Forné I, Meissner M. A central CRMP complex essential for invasion in Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001937. [PMID: 36602948 PMCID: PMC9815656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa are obligate intracellular parasites. While most species are restricted to specific hosts and cell types, Toxoplasma gondii can invade every nucleated cell derived from warm-blooded animals. This broad host range suggests that this parasite can recognize multiple host cell ligands or structures, leading to the activation of a central protein complex, which should be conserved in all apicomplexans. During invasion, the unique secretory organelles (micronemes and rhoptries) are sequentially released and several micronemal proteins have been suggested to be required for host cell recognition and invasion. However, to date, only few micronemal proteins have been demonstrated to be essential for invasion, suggesting functional redundancy that might allow such a broad host range. Cysteine Repeat Modular Proteins (CRMPs) are a family of apicomplexan-specific proteins. In T. gondii, two CRMPs are present in the genome, CRMPA (TGGT1_261080) and CRMPB (TGGT1_292020). Here, we demonstrate that both proteins form a complex that contains the additional proteins MIC15 and the thrombospondin type 1 domain-containing protein (TSP1). Disruption of this complex results in a block of rhoptry secretion and parasites being unable to invade the host cell. In conclusion, this complex is a central invasion complex conserved in all apicomplexans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Singer
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Germany
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (MS); (MM)
| | - Kathrin Simon
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Germany
| | - Ignasi Forné
- Faculty of Medicine, Protein Analysis Unit, Biomedical Center (BMC), Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Markus Meissner
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Experimental Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Germany
- * E-mail: (MS); (MM)
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18
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Müller J, Schlange C, Heller M, Uldry AC, Braga-Lagache S, Haynes RK, Hemphill A. Proteomic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii ME49 derived strains resistant to the artemisinin derivatives artemiside and artemisone implies potential mode of action independent of ROS formation. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022; 21:1-12. [PMID: 36512904 PMCID: PMC9763631 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin and its amino-artemisinin derivatives artemiside (GC008) and artemisone (GC003) are potent antimalarials. The mode of action of artemisinins against Plasmodium sp is popularly ascribed to 'activation' of the peroxide group by heme-Fe(II) or labile Fe(II) to generate C-radicals that alkylate parasite proteins. An alternative postulate is that artemisinins elicit formation of reactive oxygen species by interfering with flavin disulfide reductases resposible for maintaining intraparasitic redox homeostasis. However, in contradistinction to the heme-activation mechanism, the amino-artemisinins are effective in vitro against non-heme-degrading apicomplexan parasites including T. gondii, with IC 50 values of 50-70 nM, and induce distinct ultrastructural alterations. However, T. gondii strains readily adapted to increased concentrations (2.5 μM) of these two compounds within few days. Thus, T. gondii strains that were resistant against artemisone and artemiside were generated by treating the T. gondii reference strain ME49 with stepwise increasing amounts of these compounds, yielding the artemisone resistant strain GC003R and the artemiside resistant strain GC008R. Differential analyses of the proteomes of these resistant strains compared to the wildtype ME49 revealed that 215 proteins were significantly downregulated in artemisone resistant tachyzoites and only 8 proteins in artemiside resistant tachyzoites as compared to their wildtype. Two proteins, namely a hypothetical protein encoded by ORF TGME49_236950, and the rhoptry neck protein RON2 encoded by ORF TGME49_300100 were downregulated in both resistant strains. Interestingly, eight proteins involved in ROS scavenging including catalase and superoxide dismutase were amongst the differentially downregulated proteins in the artemisone-resistant strain. In parallel, ROS formation was significantly enhanced in isolated tachyzoites from the artemisone resistant strain and - to a lesser extent - in tachyzoites from the artemiside resistant strain as compared to wildtype tachyzoites. These findings suggest that amino-artemisinin derivatives display a mechanism of action in T. gondii distinct from Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Carling Schlange
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Heller
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Christine Uldry
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Braga-Lagache
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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19
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Sparvoli D, Delabre J, Penarete‐Vargas DM, Kumar Mageswaran S, Tsypin LM, Heckendorn J, Theveny L, Maynadier M, Mendonça Cova M, Berry‐Sterkers L, Guérin A, Dubremetz J, Urbach S, Striepen B, Turkewitz AP, Chang Y, Lebrun M. An apical membrane complex for triggering rhoptry exocytosis and invasion in Toxoplasma. EMBO J 2022; 41:e111158. [PMID: 36245278 PMCID: PMC9670195 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites possess secretory organelles called rhoptries that undergo regulated exocytosis upon contact with the host. This process is essential for the parasitic lifestyle of these pathogens and relies on an exocytic machinery sharing structural features and molecular components with free-living ciliates. However, how the parasites coordinate exocytosis with host interaction is unknown. Here, we performed a Tetrahymena-based transcriptomic screen to uncover novel exocytic factors in Ciliata and conserved in Apicomplexa. We identified membrane-bound proteins, named CRMPs, forming part of a large complex essential for rhoptry secretion and invasion in Toxoplasma. Using cutting-edge imaging tools, including expansion microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, we show that, unlike previously described rhoptry exocytic factors, TgCRMPs are not required for the assembly of the rhoptry secretion machinery and only transiently associate with the exocytic site-prior to the invasion. CRMPs and their partners contain putative host cell-binding domains, and CRMPa shares similarities with GPCR proteins. Collectively our data imply that the CRMP complex acts as a host-molecular sensor to ensure that rhoptry exocytosis occurs when the parasite contacts the host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Sparvoli
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Jason Delabre
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | | | - Shrawan Kumar Mageswaran
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Lev M Tsypin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell BiologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
- Present address:
Division of Biology and Biological EngineeringCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Justine Heckendorn
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Liam Theveny
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Marjorie Maynadier
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Marta Mendonça Cova
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Laurence Berry‐Sterkers
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Amandine Guérin
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Jean‐François Dubremetz
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Serge Urbach
- IGFUniversité de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Aaron P Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell BiologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Yi‐Wei Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host InteractionsUMR 5235 CNRS, Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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20
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Cui J, Yang X, Yang J, Jia R, Feng Y, Shen B. A Coccidia-Specific Phosphate Transporter Is Essential for the Growth of Toxoplasma gondii Parasites. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0218622. [PMID: 36094254 PMCID: PMC9604053 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02186-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that acquires all necessary nutrients from the hosts, but the exact nutrient acquisition mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identified three putative phosphate transporters in T. gondii. TgPiT and TgPT2 are mainly on the plasma membrane, whereas TgmPT is localized to the mitochondrion. TgPiT and TgmPT are widely present and conserved in apicomplexan parasites that include Plasmodium and Eimeria species. Nonetheless, they are dispensable for the growth and virulence of Toxoplasma. TgPT2, on the other hand, is restricted to coccidia parasites and is essential for Toxoplasma survival. TgPT2 depletion led to reduced motility and invasion, as well as growth arrest of the parasites both in vitro and in vivo. Both TgPiT and TgPT2 have phosphate transport activities and contribute to parasites' inorganic phosphate (Pi) absorption. Interestingly, the Pi importing activity of Toxoplasma parasites could be competitively inhibited by ATP and AMP. Furthermore, direct uptake of 32P-ATP was also observed, indicating the parasites' ability to scavenge host ATP. Nonetheless, ATP/AMP import is not mediated by TgPiT or TgPT2, suggesting additional mechanisms. Together, these results show the complex pathways of phosphate transport in Toxoplasma, and TgPT2 is a potential target for antitoxoplasmic intervention design due to its essential role in parasite growth. IMPORTANCE To grow and survive within host cells, Toxoplasma must scavenge necessary nutrients from hosts to support its parasitism. Transporters located in the plasma membrane of the parasites play critical roles in nutrient acquisition. Toxoplasma encodes a large number of transporters, but so far, only a few have been characterized. In this study, we identified two phosphate transporters, TgPiT and TgPT2, to localize to the plasma membrane of Toxoplasma. Although both TgPiT and TgPT2 possess phosphate transport activities, only the novel transporter TgPT2 was essential for parasite growth, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, TgPT2 and its orthologs are only present in coccidia parasites. As such, TgPT2 represents a potential target for drug design against toxoplasmosis. In addition, our data indicated that Toxoplasma can take up ATP and AMP from the environment, providing new insights into the energy metabolism of Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuke Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jichao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruilian Jia
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yaoyu Feng
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
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21
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Molecular Assessment of Domain I of Apical Membrane Antigen I Gene in Plasmodium falciparum: Implications in Plasmodium Invasion, Taxonomy, Vaccine Development, and Drug Discovery. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DES MALADIES INFECTIEUSES ET DE LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE 2022; 2022:1419998. [PMID: 36249587 PMCID: PMC9568357 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1419998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Given its global morbidity and mortality rates, malaria continues to be a major public health concern. Despite significant progress in the fight against malaria, efforts to control and eradicate the disease globally are in jeopardy due to lack of a universal vaccine. The conserved short peptide sequences found in Domain I of Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1), which are exposed on the parasite cell surface and in charge of Plasmodium falciparum invasion of host cells, make PfAMA1 a promising vaccine candidate antigen. The precise amino acids that make up these conserved short peptides are still unknown, and it is still difficult to pinpoint the molecular processes by which PfAMA1 interacts with the human host cell during invasion. The creation of a universal malaria vaccine based on the AMA1 antigen is challenging due to these knowledge limitations. This study used genome mining techniques to look for these particular short peptides in PfAMA1. Thirty individuals with Plasmodium falciparum malaria had blood samples taken using Whatman's filter papers. DNA from the parasite was taken out using the Chelex technique. Domain I of the Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 gene was amplified using nested polymerase chain reactions, and the amplified products were removed, purified, and sequenced. The DNA sequence generated was converted into the matching amino acid sequence using bioinformatic techniques. These amino acid sequences were utilized to search for antigenic epitopes, therapeutic targets, and conserved short peptides in Domain I of PfAMA1. The results of this investigation shed important light on the molecular mechanisms behind Plasmodium invasion of host cells, a potential PfAMA1 vaccine antigen sequence, and prospective malaria treatment options in the future. Our work offers fresh information on malaria medication and vaccine research that has not been previously discussed.
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22
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A Role for Basigin in Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0020522. [PMID: 35913173 PMCID: PMC9387297 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00205-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of specific host cell surface receptors during Toxoplasma gondii invasion of host cells is poorly defined. Here, we interrogated the role of the well-known malarial invasion receptor, basigin, in T. gondii infection of astrocytes. We found that primary astrocytes express two members of the BASIGIN (BSG) immunoglobulin family, basigin and embigin, but did not express neuroplastin. Antibody blockade of either basigin or embigin caused a significant reduction of parasite infectivity in astrocytes. The specific role of basigin during T. gondii invasion was further examined using a mouse astrocytic cell line (C8-D30), which exclusively expresses basigin. CRISPR-mediated deletion of basigin in C8-D30 cells resulted in decreased T. gondii infectivity. T. gondii replication and invasion efficiency were not altered by basigin deficiency, but parasite attachment to astrocytes was markedly reduced. We also conducted a proteomic screen to identify T. gondii proteins that interact with basigin. Toxoplasma-encoded cyclophilins, the protein 14-3-3, and protein disulfide isomerase (TgPDI) were among the putative basigin-ligands identified. Recombinant TgPDI produced in E. coli bound to basigin and pretreatment of tachyzoites with a PDI inhibitor decreased parasite attachment to host cells. Finally, mutagenesis of the active site cysteines of TgPDI abolished enzyme binding to basigin. Thus, basigin and its related immunoglobulin family members may represent host receptors that mediate attachment of T. gondii to diverse cell types.
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23
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Munera Lopez J, Tengganu IF, Liu J, Murray JM, Arias Padilla LF, Zhang Y, Brown PT, Florens L, Hu K. An apical protein, Pcr2, is required for persistent movement by the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010776. [PMID: 35994509 PMCID: PMC9436145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylum Apicomplexa includes thousands of species of unicellular parasites that cause a wide range of human and animal diseases such as malaria and toxoplasmosis. To infect, the parasite must first initiate active movement to disseminate through tissue and invade into a host cell, and then cease moving once inside. The parasite moves by gliding on a surface, propelled by an internal cortical actomyosin-based motility apparatus. One of the most effective invaders in Apicomplexa is Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect any nucleated cell and any warm-blooded animal. During invasion, the parasite first makes contact with the host cell "head-on" with the apical complex, which features an elaborate cytoskeletal apparatus and associated structures. Here we report the identification and characterization of a new component of the apical complex, Preconoidal region protein 2 (Pcr2). Pcr2 knockout parasites replicate normally, but they are severely diminished in their capacity for host tissue destruction due to significantly impaired invasion and egress, two vital steps in the lytic cycle. When stimulated for calcium-induced egress, Pcr2 knockout parasites become active, and secrete effectors to lyse the host cell. Calcium-induced secretion of the major adhesin, MIC2, also appears to be normal. However, the movement of the Pcr2 knockout parasite is spasmodic, which drastically compromises egress. In addition to faulty motility, the ability of the Pcr2 knockout parasite to assemble the moving junction is impaired. Both defects likely contribute to the poor efficiency of invasion. Interestingly, actomyosin activity, as indicated by the motion of mEmerald tagged actin chromobody, appears to be largely unperturbed by the loss of Pcr2, raising the possibility that Pcr2 may act downstream of or in parallel with the actomyosin machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Munera Lopez
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Isadonna F. Tengganu
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - John M. Murray
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Luisa F. Arias Padilla
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Ying Zhang
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Peter T. Brown
- Department of Physics and Center for Biological Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Laurence Florens
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Ke Hu
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Possenti A, Di Cristina M, Nicastro C, Lunghi M, Messina V, Piro F, Tramontana L, Cherchi S, Falchi M, Bertuccini L, Spano F. Functional Characterization of the Thrombospondin-Related Paralogous Proteins Rhoptry Discharge Factors 1 and 2 Unveils Phenotypic Plasticity in Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Exocytosis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:899243. [PMID: 35756016 PMCID: PMC9218915 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.899243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain access to the intracellular cytoplasmic niche essential for their growth and replication, apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii rely on the timely secretion of two types of apical organelles named micronemes and rhoptries. Rhoptry proteins are key to host cell invasion and remodeling, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the tight control of rhoptry discharge are poorly understood. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of two novel T. gondii thrombospondin-related proteins implicated in rhoptry exocytosis. The two proteins, already annotated as MIC15 and MIC14, were renamed rhoptry discharge factor 1 (RDF1) and rhoptry discharge factor 2 (RDF2) and found to be exclusive of the Coccidia class of apicomplexan parasites. Furthermore, they were shown to have a paralogous relationship and share a C-terminal transmembrane domain followed by a short cytoplasmic tail. Immunofluorescence analysis of T. gondii tachyzoites revealed that RDF1 presents a diffuse punctate localization not reminiscent of any know subcellular compartment, whereas RDF2 was not detected. Using a conditional knockdown approach, we demonstrated that RDF1 loss caused a marked growth defect. The lack of the protein did not affect parasite gliding motility, host cell attachment, replication and egress, whereas invasion was dramatically reduced. Notably, while RDF1 depletion did not result in altered microneme exocytosis, rhoptry discharge was found to be heavily impaired. Interestingly, rhoptry secretion was reversed by spontaneous upregulation of the RDF2 gene in knockdown parasites grown under constant RDF1 repression. Collectively, our results identify RDF1 and RDF2 as additional key players in the pathway controlling rhoptry discharge. Furthermore, this study unveils a new example of compensatory mechanism contributing to phenotypic plasticity in T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Possenti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Nicastro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Lunghi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Valeria Messina
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Piro
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Tramontana
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Cherchi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Falchi
- National AIDS Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Furio Spano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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25
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Fernandes P, Loubens M, Le Borgne R, Marinach C, Ardin B, Briquet S, Vincensini L, Hamada S, Hoareau-Coudert B, Verbavatz JM, Weiner A, Silvie O. The AMA1-RON complex drives Plasmodium sporozoite invasion in the mosquito and mammalian hosts. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010643. [PMID: 35731833 PMCID: PMC9255738 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites that are transmitted by blood-feeding female Anopheles mosquitoes invade hepatocytes for an initial round of intracellular replication, leading to the release of merozoites that invade and multiply within red blood cells. Sporozoites and merozoites share a number of proteins that are expressed by both stages, including the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1) and the Rhoptry Neck Proteins (RONs). Although AMA1 and RONs are essential for merozoite invasion of erythrocytes during asexual blood stage replication of the parasite, their function in sporozoites was still unclear. Here we show that AMA1 interacts with RONs in mature sporozoites. By using DiCre-mediated conditional gene deletion in P. berghei, we demonstrate that loss of AMA1, RON2 or RON4 in sporozoites impairs colonization of the mosquito salivary glands and invasion of mammalian hepatocytes, without affecting transcellular parasite migration. Three-dimensional electron microscopy data showed that sporozoites enter salivary gland cells through a ring-like structure and by forming a transient vacuole. The absence of a functional AMA1-RON complex led to an altered morphology of the entry junction, associated with epithelial cell damage. Our data establish that AMA1 and RONs facilitate host cell invasion across Plasmodium invasive stages, and suggest that sporozoites use the AMA1-RON complex to efficiently and safely enter the mosquito salivary glands to ensure successful parasite transmission. These results open up the possibility of targeting the AMA1-RON complex for transmission-blocking antimalarial strategies. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted by mosquitoes. Infectious stages of the parasite known as sporozoites colonize the mosquito salivary glands and are injected into the host when the insect probes the skin for blood feeding. Sporozoites rapidly migrate to the host liver, invade hepatocytes and differentiate into the next invasive forms, the merozoites, which invade and replicate inside red blood cells. Merozoites invade cells through a specialized structure, known as the moving junction, formed by proteins called AMA1 and RONs. The role of these proteins in sporozoites remains unclear. Here we used conditional genome editing in a rodent malaria model to generate AMA1- and RON-deficient sporozoites. Phenotypic analysis of the mutants revealed that sporozoites use the AMA1-RON complex twice, first in the mosquito to safely enter the salivary glands and ensure successful parasite transmission, then in the mammalian host liver to establish a replicative niche. Our data establish that AMA1 and RONs facilitate host cell invasion across Plasmodium invasive stages, and might represent potential targets for transmission-blocking antimalarial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Fernandes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Manon Loubens
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Rémi Le Borgne
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 7592, Paris, France
| | - Carine Marinach
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Béatrice Ardin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Briquet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Laetitia Vincensini
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Soumia Hamada
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMS PASS, Plateforme Post-génomique de la Pitié Salpêtrière (P3S), Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Hoareau-Coudert
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMS PASS, Plateforme de cytométrie de la Pitié-Salpêtrière (CyPS), Paris, France
| | - Jean-Marc Verbavatz
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, UMR 7592, Paris, France
| | - Allon Weiner
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Silvie
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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Cova MM, Lamarque MH, Lebrun M. How Apicomplexa Parasites Secrete and Build Their Invasion Machinery. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:619-640. [PMID: 35671531 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-041320-021425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexa are obligatory intracellular parasites that sense and actively invade host cells. Invasion is a conserved process that relies on the timely and spatially controlled exocytosis of unique specialized secretory organelles termed micronemes and rhoptries. Microneme exocytosis starts first and likely controls the intricate mechanism of rhoptry secretion. To assemble the invasion machinery, micronemal proteins-associated with the surface of the parasite-interact and form complexes with rhoptry proteins, which in turn are targeted into the host cell. This review covers the molecular advances regarding microneme and rhoptry exocytosis and focuses on how the proteins discharged from these two compartments work in synergy to drive a successful invasion event. Particular emphasis is given to the structure and molecular components of the rhoptry secretion apparatus, and to the current conceptual framework of rhoptry exocytosis that may constitute an unconventional eukaryotic secretory machinery closely related to the one described in ciliates. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Mendonça Cova
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
| | - Mauld H Lamarque
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
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Stadler RV, Nelson SR, Warshaw DM, Ward GE. A circular zone of attachment to the extracellular matrix provides directionality to the motility of Toxoplasma gondii in 3D. eLife 2022; 11:85171. [PMID: 36519527 PMCID: PMC9839348 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects 30-40% of the world's population. Infections are typically subclinical but can be severe and, in some cases, life threatening. Central to the virulence of T. gondii is an unusual form of substrate-dependent motility that enables the parasite to invade cells of its host and to disseminate throughout the body. A hetero-oligomeric complex of proteins that functions in motility has been characterized, but how these proteins work together to drive forward motion of the parasite remains controversial. A key piece of information needed to understand the underlying mechanism(s) is the directionality of the forces that a moving parasite exerts on the external environment. The linear motor model of motility, which has dominated the field for the past two decades, predicts continuous anterior-to-posterior force generation along the length of the parasite. We show here using three-dimensional traction force mapping that the predominant forces exerted by a moving parasite are instead periodic and directed in toward the parasite at a fixed circular location within the extracellular matrix. These highly localized forces, which are generated by the parasite pulling on the matrix, create a visible constriction in the parasite's plasma membrane. We propose that the ring of inward-directed force corresponds to a circumferential attachment zone between the parasite and the matrix, through which the parasite propels itself to move forward. The combined data suggest a closer connection between the mechanisms underlying parasite motility and host cell invasion than previously recognized. In parasites lacking the major surface adhesin, TgMIC2, neither the inward-directed forces nor the constriction of the parasite membrane are observed. The trajectories of the TgMIC2-deficient parasites are less straight than those of wild-type parasites, suggesting that the annular zone of TgMIC2-mediated attachment to the extracellular matrix normally constrains the directional options available to the parasite as it migrates through its surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel V Stadler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - Shane R Nelson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - David M Warshaw
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - Gary E Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
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28
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Briquet S, Gissot M, Silvie O. A toolbox for conditional control of gene expression in apicomplexan parasites. Mol Microbiol 2021; 117:618-631. [PMID: 34564906 PMCID: PMC9293482 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites encompass diverse pathogens for humans and animals, including the causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis, Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii. Genetic manipulation of these parasites has become central to explore parasite biology, unravel gene function and identify new targets for therapeutic strategies. Tremendous progress has been achieved over the past years with the advent of next generation sequencing and powerful genome editing methods. In particular, various methods for conditional gene expression have been developed in both Plasmodium and Toxoplasma to knockout or knockdown essential genes, or for inducible expression of master developmental regulators or mutant versions of proteins. Conditional gene expression can be achieved at three distinct levels. At the DNA level, inducible site‐specific recombinases allow conditional genome editing. At the RNA level, regulation can be achieved during transcription, using stage‐specific or regulatable promoters, or post‐transcriptionally through alteration of mRNA stability or translation. At the protein level, several systems have been developed for inducible degradation or displacement of a protein of interest. In this review, we provide an overview of current systems for conditional control of gene expression in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma parasites, highlighting the advantages and limitations of each approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Briquet
- INSERM, CNRS, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Gissot
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CIIL, Univ. Lille, Lille, France
| | - Olivier Silvie
- INSERM, CNRS, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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Zhao N, Ming S, Sun L, Wang B, Li H, Zhang X, Zhao X. Identification and Characterization of Eimeria tenella Microneme Protein (EtMIC8). Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0022821. [PMID: 34479414 PMCID: PMC8562341 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00228-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microneme proteins (MICs) of Eimeria tenella play key roles in motility, migration, attachment, and invasion processes. More than 20 apicomplexan parasite's MICs have been identified, with nine Eimeria MICs being reported. In this study, a novel E. tenella MIC was identified, and its gene structural features, developmental expression levels, localization, role in adhesion and invasion, and immunogenicity were studied. The results showed that the open reading frame was 1,650 bp, encoding 550 amino acids. It contains a signal sequence, a transmembrane region, four low-complexity boxes, and five epidermal growth factor-like domains (EGF). Subcellular localization revealed its distribution on the membrane surface of the parasite. These characteristics are consistent with the common features of MICs and are named EtMIC8. Anti-EtMIC8 antibodies recognized a specific binding of about 100 kDa in E. tenella, which was twice as large as the prokaryotic expression (about 50 kDa), suggesting that MIC8 may exist naturally as a dimer. EtMIC8 was expressed at higher levels in sporozoites (3.08-fold) and merozoites (2.1-fold) than in sporulated oocysts. The attachment assays using a yeast surface display of MIC8 and its different domains showed that the adherence rates of EtMIC8 to host cells were significantly higher than those of the control (3.17-fold), which was the full contribution of EGF, but neither was alone. Anti-EtMIC8 antibodies significantly reduced the invasion rate of sporozoites into host cells compared to those of the control (P < 0.01). Recombinant EtMIC8-EGF peptides could provide moderate protective efficacy (anticoccidial index [ACI]: 169.7), induce humoral responses, and upregulate CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shuzhen Ming
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lingyu Sun
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Bingxiang Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
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Zhu J, Wang Y, Cao Y, Shen J, Yu L. Diverse Roles of TgMIC1/4/6 in the Toxoplasma Infection. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:666506. [PMID: 34220751 PMCID: PMC8247436 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.666506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii microneme is a specialized secretory organelle that discharges its contents at the apical tip of this apicomplexan parasite in a sequential and regulated manner. Increasing number of studies on microneme proteins (MICs) have shown them as a predominant and important role in host cell attachment, invasion, motility and pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize the research advances in one of the most important MICs complexes, TgMIC1/4/6, which will contribute to improve the understanding of the molecular mechanism of T. gondii infection and provide a theoretical basis for the effective control against T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, The Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, The Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Cao
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, The Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jilong Shen
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, The Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Li Yu
- The Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Anhui Province, The Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Fatemi Motlagh M, Mousavi Gargari SL. A bivalent vaccine against avian necrotic enteritis and coccidiosis. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:113-125. [PMID: 34101942 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS In this study, we attempted to design a recombinant vaccine harbouring domain with a key role in enterocyte attachment and cell invasion in necrotic enteritis (NE) and coccidiosis. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we investigated whether a recombinant protein consisting of necrotic enteritis B-like toxin, C-terminal domain of alpha-toxin, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), and Rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) which we call "NeCoVac" hereafter, can improve protection against both diseases compared to vaccination with each antigen in previous studies. Birds intestinal lesion scores and specific antibody levels were measured to determine protection after oral gavage challenges with virulent Clostridium perfringens and LIVACOX® T. Birds immunized with NeCoVac were protected up to 84% against NE and coccidiosis compared to unimmunized and even positive groups (groups treated with LIVACOX® T [coccidiosis live vaccine] and tylosin as routine veterinary interventions) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that vaccination with NeCoVac is highly efficient in protecting birds from NE, coccidiosis and a combination of both diseases. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The present study is the first one to describe the combinatorial use of AMA1 and RON2 against coccidiosis, and the first report using NeCoVac against NE and coccidiosis together.
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Loubens M, Vincensini L, Fernandes P, Briquet S, Marinach C, Silvie O. Plasmodium sporozoites on the move: Switching from cell traversal to productive invasion of hepatocytes. Mol Microbiol 2021; 115:870-881. [PMID: 33191548 PMCID: PMC8247013 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Plasmodium, the etiological agent of malaria, are transmitted through the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, which deposit sporozoites into the host skin. Sporozoites migrate through the dermis, enter the bloodstream, and rapidly traffic to the liver. They cross the liver sinusoidal barrier and traverse several hepatocytes before switching to productive invasion of a final one for replication inside a parasitophorous vacuole. Cell traversal and productive invasion are functionally independent processes that require proteins secreted from specialized secretory organelles known as micronemes. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how sporozoites traverse through cells and productively invade hepatocytes, and discuss the role of environmental sensing in switching from a migratory to an invasive state. We propose that timely controlled secretion of distinct microneme subsets could play a key role in successful migration and infection of hepatocytes. A better understanding of these essential biological features of the Plasmodium sporozoite may contribute to the development of new strategies to fight against the very first and asymptomatic stage of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Loubens
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
| | - Laetitia Vincensini
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
| | - Priyanka Fernandes
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
| | - Sylvie Briquet
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
| | - Carine Marinach
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
| | - Olivier Silvie
- Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies InfectieusesSorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, CIMI‐ParisParisFrance
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33
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Ben Chaabene R, Lentini G, Soldati-Favre D. Biogenesis and discharge of the rhoptries: Key organelles for entry and hijack of host cells by the Apicomplexa. Mol Microbiol 2021; 115:453-465. [PMID: 33368727 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Rhoptries are specialized secretory organelles found in the Apicomplexa phylum, playing a central role in the establishment of parasitism. The rhoptry content includes membranous as well as proteinaceous materials that are discharged into the host cell in a regulated fashion during parasite entry. A set of rhoptry neck proteins form a RON complex that critically participates in the moving junction formation during invasion. Some of the rhoptry bulb proteins are associated with the membranous materials and contribute to the formation of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane while others are targeted into the host cell including the nucleus to subvert cellular functions. Here, we review the recent studies on Toxoplasma and Plasmodium parasites that shed light on the key steps leading to rhoptry biogenesis, trafficking, and discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouaa Ben Chaabene
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gaëlle Lentini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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34
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An Alveolata secretory machinery adapted to parasite host cell invasion. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:425-434. [PMID: 33495622 PMCID: PMC8886610 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-00854-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexa are unicellular eukaryotes and obligate intracellular parasites, including Plasmodium (the causative agent of malaria) and Toxoplasma (one of the most widespread zoonotic pathogens). Rhoptries, one of their specialized secretory organelles, undergo regulated exocytosis during invasion1. Rhoptry proteins are injected directly into the host cell to support invasion and subversion of host immune function2. The mechanism by which they are discharged is unclear and appears distinct from those in bacteria, yeast, animals and plants. Here, we show that rhoptry secretion in Apicomplexa shares structural and genetic elements with the exocytic machinery of ciliates, their free-living relatives. Rhoptry exocytosis depends on intramembranous particles in the shape of a rosette embedded into the plasma membrane of the parasite apex. Formation of this rosette requires multiple non-discharge (Nd) proteins conserved and restricted to Ciliata, Dinoflagellata and Apicomplexa that together constitute the superphylum Alveolata. We identified Nd6 at the site of exocytosis in association with an apical vesicle. Sandwiched between the rosette and the tip of the rhoptry, this vesicle appears as a central element of the rhoptry secretion machine. Our results describe a conserved secretion system that was adapted to provide defence for free-living unicellular eukaryotes and host cell injection in intracellular parasites.
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35
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Wang X, Tang D, Wang F, Jin G, Wang L, Liu Q, Liu J. Microneme Protein 6 Is Involved in Invasion and Egress by Neospora caninum. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020201. [PMID: 33668497 PMCID: PMC7918358 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neospora caninum, is the etiological agent of neosporosis, an infection that causes abortions in cattle and nervous system dysfunction in dogs. Invasion and egress are the key steps of the pathogenesis of N. caninum infection. Microneme proteins (MICs) play important roles in the recognition, adhesion, and invasion of host cells in other apicomplexan parasites. However, some MICs and their functions in N. caninum infection have rarely been reported. METHODS The homologous recombination strategy was used to investigate the function of MIC6 in N. caninum infection. RESULTS ΔNcMIC6 showed a smaller plaque size and weakened capacities of invasion and egress than Nc1. Transcription levels of the egress-related genes CDPK1, PLP1, and AMA1 of ΔNcMIC6 were downregulated. Due to the lack of NcMIC6, virulence of the pathogen in the infected mouse was weakened. The subcellular localization of NcMIC1 and NcMIC4 in ΔNcMIC6, however, did not change. Nevertheless, the transcription levels of MIC1 and MIC4 in ΔNcMIC6 were downregulated, and the expression and secretion of MIC1 and MIC4 in ΔNcMIC6 were reduced compared with that in Nc1. Furthermore, the absence of NcMIC6 weakened the virulence in mice and lower parasite load detected in mice brains. CONCLUSIONS NcMIC6 is involved in host cell invasion and egress in N. caninum and may work synergistically with other MICs to regulate the virulence of the pathogen. These data lay a foundation for further research into the function and application of NcMIC6.
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36
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Using BioID for the Identification of Interacting and Proximal Proteins in Subcellular Compartments in Toxoplasma gondii. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 31758461 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9857-9_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
BioID is an in vivo biotinylation system developed to examine the proximal and interacting proteins of a bait protein within a subcellular compartment. This approach has been exploited in Toxoplasma for protein-protein interaction studies and proteomic characterizations of intracellular compartments. The BioID method requires constructing a translational fusion between a protein of interest and the promiscuous biotin ligase BirA∗ (a mutant of the E. coli protein BirA) which enables trafficking of the protein to the correct intracellular compartment and association with its partners. Proximity labelling occurs upon addition of biotin to the media and the biotinylated target proteins are then be purified using stringent conditions via streptavidin chromatography. In this chapter, we describe the methodology to fuse BirA∗ (or the newer variant BioID2) to a bait protein using endogenous gene tagging in Toxoplasma and then identify the proximal and interacting proteins using in vivo biotinylation, streptavidin purification and mass spectrometric analysis.
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37
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Wang Q, Zhu S, Zhao Q, Huang B, Yu S, Yu Y, Liang S, Wang H, Zhao H, Han H, Dong H. Identification and Characterization of a Novel Apical Membrane Antigen 3 in Eimeria tenella. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2021; 68:e12836. [PMID: 33289220 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Eimeria tenella is an obligate intracellular parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. As described for other members of Apicomplexa, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) has been shown to be critical for sporozoite invasion of host cells by E. tenella. Recently, an E. tenella paralogue of AMA1 (EtAMA1), dubbed sporoAMA1 (EtAMA3), was identified in proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of E. tenella, but not further characterized. Here, we show that EtAMA3 is a type I integral membrane protein that has 24% -38% identity with other EtAMAs. EtAMA3 has the same pattern of Cys residues in domains I and II of AMA1 orthologs from apicomplexan parasites, but high variance in domain III, with all six invariant Cys residues absent. EtAMA3 expression was developmentally regulated at the mRNA and protein levels. EtAMA3 protein was detected in sporulated oocysts and sporozoites, but not in the unsporulated oocysts or second-generation merozoites. EtAMA3 is secreted by micronemes and is primarily localized to the apical end of sporozoites during host-cell invasion. Additionally, pretreatment of sporozoites with rEtAMA3-specific antibodies substantially impeded their invasion into host cells. These results suggest EtAMA3 is a sporozoite-specific protein that is involved in host-cell sporozoite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shunhai Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Qiping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shuilan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shanshan Liang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haixia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Huanzhi Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Hongyu Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Shanghai, 200241, China
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Collins CR, Hackett F, Howell SA, Snijders AP, Russell MRG, Collinson LM, Blackman MJ. The malaria parasite sheddase SUB2 governs host red blood cell membrane sealing at invasion. eLife 2020; 9:e61121. [PMID: 33287958 PMCID: PMC7723409 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Red blood cell (RBC) invasion by malaria merozoites involves formation of a parasitophorous vacuole into which the parasite moves. The vacuole membrane seals and pinches off behind the parasite through an unknown mechanism, enclosing the parasite within the RBC. During invasion, several parasite surface proteins are shed by a membrane-bound protease called SUB2. Here we show that genetic depletion of SUB2 abolishes shedding of a range of parasite proteins, identifying previously unrecognized SUB2 substrates. Interaction of SUB2-null merozoites with RBCs leads to either abortive invasion with rapid RBC lysis, or successful entry but developmental arrest. Selective failure to shed the most abundant SUB2 substrate, MSP1, reduces intracellular replication, whilst conditional ablation of the substrate AMA1 produces host RBC lysis. We conclude that SUB2 activity is critical for host RBC membrane sealing following parasite internalisation and for correct functioning of merozoite surface proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R Collins
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Fiona Hackett
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Steven A Howell
- Protein Analysis and Proteomics Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Ambrosius P Snijders
- Protein Analysis and Proteomics Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Matthew RG Russell
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lucy M Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael J Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
- Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUnited Kingdom
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39
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Nie LB, Liang QL, Elsheikha HM, Du R, Zhu XQ, Li FC. Global profiling of lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylome in Toxoplasma gondii using affinity purification mass spectrometry. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:4061-4071. [PMID: 33057814 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06923-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a recently discovered and evolutionarily conserved form of protein post-translational modification (PTM) found in mammalian and yeast cells. Previous studies have shown that Khib plays roles in the activity of gene transcription and Khib-containing proteins are closely related to the cellular metabolism. In this study, a global Khib-containing analysis using the latest databases (ToxoDB 46, 8322 sequences, downloaded on April 16, 2020) and sensitive immune-affinity enrichment coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed. A total of 1078 Khib modification sites across 400 Khib-containing proteins were identified in tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain. Bioinformatics and functional enrichment analysis showed that Khib-modified proteins were associated with various biological processes, such as ribosome, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and central carbon metabolism. Interestingly, many proteins of the secretory organelles (e.g., microneme, rhoptry, and dense granule) that play roles in the infection cycle of T. gondii were found to be Khib-modified, suggesting the involvement of Khib in key biological process during T. gondii infection. We also found that histone proteins, key enzymes related to cellular metabolism, and several glideosome components had Khib sites. These results expanded our understanding of the roles of Khib in T. gondii and should promote further investigations of how Khib regulates gene expression and key biological functions in T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Bi Nie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, 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 Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin-Li Liang
- 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 Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Rui Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- 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 Province, People's Republic of China. .,College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fa-Cai Li
- 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 Province, People's Republic of China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
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40
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El Bissati K, Zhou Y, Paulillo SM, Raman SK, Karch CP, Reed S, Estes A, Estes A, Lykins J, Burkhard P, McLeod R. Engineering and characterization of a novel Self Assembling Protein for Toxoplasma peptide vaccine in HLA-A*11:01, HLA-A*02:01 and HLA-B*07:02 transgenic mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16984. [PMID: 33046728 PMCID: PMC7552409 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73210-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Fighting smart diseases requires smart vaccines. Novel ways to present protective immunogenic peptide epitopes to human immune systems are needed. Herein, we focus on Self Assembling Protein Nanoparticles (SAPNs) as scaffolds/platforms for vaccine delivery that produce strong immune responses against Toxoplasma gondii in HLA supermotif, transgenic mice. Herein, we present a useful platform to present peptides that elicit CD4+, CD8+ T and B cell immune responses in a core architecture, formed by flagellin, administered in combination with TLR4 ligand-emulsion (GLA-SE) adjuvant. We demonstrate protection of HLA-A*11:01, HLA-A*02:01, and HLA-B*07:02 mice against toxoplasmosis by (i) this novel chimeric polypeptide, containing epitopes that elicit CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T helper cells, and IgG2b antibodies, and (ii) adjuvant activation of innate immune TLR4 and TLR5 pathways. HLA-A*11:01, HLA-A*02:01, and HLA-B*07:02q11 transgenic mouse splenocytes with peptides demonstrated predicted genetic restrictions. This creates a new paradigm-shifting vaccine approach to prevent toxoplasmosis, extendable to other diseases.
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Grants
- R01 AI027530 NIAID NIH HHS
- R01 AI071319 NIAID NIH HHS
- U01 AI077887 NIAID NIH HHS
- U01 AI082180 NIAID NIH HHS
- Cornwell MannFamily Fdn;, Morel, Engel, Rooney&#x2013;Alden, Pritzker, Langel, Drago, Mussilami,Quinn, Rodriguez, and Rosenthal families for their support of this work. This work was also funded by the National Institutes of Health, Grant numbers R01 AI027530, R01 AI071319, U01 AI077887, and U01 AI082180 from NIH NIAID DMID (to RM) and Toxoplasmosis Research Institute. The research was also supported by the Knights Templar Eye Foundation and the Institute of translational Medicine at University of Chicago (to KE)
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal El Bissati
- Institute of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sara M Paulillo
- Alpha-O Peptides AG, Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125, Riehen, Switzerland
| | - Senthil K Raman
- Alpha-O Peptides AG, Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125, Riehen, Switzerland
| | - Christopher P Karch
- Institute of Materials Science and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Steve Reed
- Infectious Diseases Research Institute, 1616 Eastlake Ave E, Suite 400, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - Ashley Estes
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Amber Estes
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Joseph Lykins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Peter Burkhard
- Alpha-O Peptides AG, Lörracherstrasse 50, 4125, Riehen, Switzerland
- Institute of Materials Science and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), The University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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41
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Amlabu E, Nyarko PB, Opoku G, Ibrahim-Dey D, Ilani P, Mensah-Brown H, Akporh GA, Akuh OA, Ayugane EA, Amoh-Boateng D, Kusi KA, Awandare GA. Localization and function of a Plasmodium falciparum protein (PF3D7_1459400) during erythrocyte invasion. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 246:10-19. [PMID: 33019810 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220961764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a global health problem. Erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum merozoites appears to be a promising target to curb malaria. We have identified and characterized a novel protein that is involved in erythrocyte invasion. Our data on protein subcellular localization, stage-specific protein expression pattern, and merozoite invasion inhibition by α-peptide antibodies suggest a role for PF3D7_1459400 protein during P. falciparum erythrocyte invasion. Even more, the human immunoepidemiology data present PF3D7_1459400 protein as an immunogenic antigen which could be further exploited for the development of new anti-infective therapy against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Amlabu
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana.,Department of Biochemistry, Kogi State University, Anyigba P.M.B 1007, Nigeria
| | - Prince B Nyarko
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Grace Opoku
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Damata Ibrahim-Dey
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Philip Ilani
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Henrietta Mensah-Brown
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Grace A Akporh
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Ojo-Ajogu Akuh
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Evelyn A Ayugane
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - David Amoh-Boateng
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo A Kusi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana.,Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG581, Ghana
| | - Gordon A Awandare
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 54, Ghana
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42
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Tartarelli I, Tinari A, Possenti A, Cherchi S, Falchi M, Dubey JP, Spano F. During host cell traversal and cell-to-cell passage, Toxoplasma gondii sporozoites inhabit the parasitophorous vacuole and posteriorly release dense granule protein-associated membranous trails. Int J Parasitol 2020; 50:1099-1115. [PMID: 32882286 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and infects virtually all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Ingestion of the environmentally resistant oocyst stage, excreted only in the feces of cats, is central to transmission of this apicomplexan parasite. There is vast literature on the host and T. gondii tachyzoite (proliferative stage of the parasite) but little is known of the host-parasite interaction and conversion of the free-living stage (sporozoite inside the oocyst) to the parasitic stage. Here, we present events that follow invasion of host cells with T. gondii sporozoites by using immunofluorescence (IF) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Several human type cell cultures were infected with T. gondii sporozoites of the two genotypes (Type II, ME49 and Type III, VEG) most prevalent worldwide. For the first known time, using anti-rhoptry neck protein 4 (RON4) antibodies, the moving junction was visualized in sporozoites during the invasion process and shortly after its completion. Surprisingly, IF and TEM evaluation revealed that intracellular sporozoites release, at their posterior end, long membranous tails, herein named sporozoite-specific trails (SSTs). Differential permeabilization and IF experiments showed that the SSTs are associated with several dense granule proteins (GRAs) and that their membranous component is of parasite origin. Furthermore, TEM observations demonstrated that SST-associated sporozoites are delimited by a typical parasitophorous vacuole, which is retained during parasite exit from the host cell and during cell-to-cell passage. Our data strongly suggest that host cell traversal by T. gondii sporozoites relies on a novel force-producing mechanism, based on the massive extrusion at the parasite posterior pole of GRA-associated membranous material derived from the same pool of membranes forming the intravacuolar network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Tartarelli
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Tinari
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Possenti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Cherchi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Falchi
- National AIDS Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, United States
| | - Furio Spano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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43
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Song X, Yang X, Xue Y, Yang C, Wu K, Liu J, Liu Q. Glutaredoxin 1 Deficiency Leads to Microneme Protein-Mediated Growth Defects in Neospora caninum. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:536044. [PMID: 32983074 PMCID: PMC7487798 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.536044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a wide range of mammalian species and causes spontaneous abortion in cattle. N. caninum is exposed to oxidative stress during its life cycle. Oxidoreductase is crucial for parasite response to the environmental stresses. Glutaredoxins (Grxs) are small oxidoreductases of the thioredoxin family proteins that catalyze thiol-disulfide exchange reactions by utilizing electrons from the tripeptide glutathione (γGlu-Cys-Gly; GSH). Grxs are key elements in redox signaling and cell signal transduction. However, Grxs are an unexplored set of oxidoreductases in N. caninum. Here, we identified two cytoplasm located glutaredoxin domain-containing proteins (NcGrx1 and NcGrx3) in N. caninum. To better understand the functions of these Grx proteins, we generated NcGrx1 and NcGrx3 deficiency and overexpression strains. The deletion or overexpression of NcGrx3 had no significant effect on the growth of N. caninum in vitro and in vivo. NcGrx1 knockout parasites displayed a significant growth defect, which was due to the influence on invasion and egress abilities. Moreover, NcGrx1 deficiency decreased the ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (GSH/GSSG ratio), caused a significant accumulation of hydroxyl radical in parasites, and an increase in apoptotic cells under oxidative stress (H2O2) condition. To determine the cause of growth defects in ΔNcGrx1, we examined the transcription levels of various invasion-egress related genes as measured by qPCR. We found a significant decrease in MIC1, MIC4, and MIC6 genes. Further investigation found that the secretion of MIC1, MIC4, and MIC6 proteins was significantly affected. Collectively, Ncgrx1 is important for microneme protein-mediated parasite growth, and maybe a potential intervention target for the N. caninum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingju Song
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yangfei Xue
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Congshan Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaijian Wu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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44
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Detection of the Rhoptry Neck Protein Complex in Plasmodium Sporozoites and Its Contribution to Sporozoite Invasion of Salivary Glands. mSphere 2020; 5:5/4/e00325-20. [PMID: 32817376 PMCID: PMC7440843 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00325-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporozoites are the motile infectious stage that mediates malaria parasite transmission from mosquitoes to the mammalian host. This study addresses the question whether the rhoptry neck protein complex forms and functions in sporozoites, in addition to its role in merozoites. By applying coimmunoprecipitation and sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown assays, it was demonstrated that RON2, RON4, and RON5 form a complex and are involved in sporozoite invasion of salivary glands via their attachment ability. These findings shed light on the conserved invasion mechanisms among apicomplexan infective stages. In addition, the sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown system has revealed for the first time in Plasmodium that the RON2 and RON4 interaction reciprocally affects their stability and trafficking to rhoptries. Our study raises the possibility that the RON complex functions during sporozoite maturation as well as migration toward and invasion of target cells. In the Plasmodium life cycle, two infectious stages of parasites, merozoites and sporozoites, share rhoptry and microneme apical structures. A crucial step during merozoite invasion of erythrocytes is the discharge to the host cell membrane of some rhoptry neck proteins as a complex, followed by the formation of a moving junction involving the parasite-secreted protein AMA1 on the parasite membrane. Components of the merozoite rhoptry neck protein complex are also expressed in sporozoites, namely, RON2, RON4, and RON5, suggesting that invasion mechanism elements might be conserved between these infective stages. Recently, we demonstrated that RON2 is required for sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary gland cells and mammalian hepatocytes, using a sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown strategy in the rodent malaria parasite model, Plasmodium berghei. Here, we use a coimmunoprecipitation assay and oocyst-derived sporozoite extracts to demonstrate that RON2, RON4, and RON5 also form a complex in sporozoites. The sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown strategy revealed that both RON4 and RON5 have crucial roles during sporozoite invasion of salivary glands, including a significantly reduced attachment ability required for the onset of gliding. Further analyses indicated that RON2 and RON4 reciprocally affect trafficking to rhoptries in developing sporozoites, while RON5 is independently transported. These findings indicate that the interaction between RON2 and RON4 contributes to their stability and trafficking to rhoptries, in addition to involvement in sporozoite attachment. IMPORTANCE Sporozoites are the motile infectious stage that mediates malaria parasite transmission from mosquitoes to the mammalian host. This study addresses the question whether the rhoptry neck protein complex forms and functions in sporozoites, in addition to its role in merozoites. By applying coimmunoprecipitation and sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown assays, it was demonstrated that RON2, RON4, and RON5 form a complex and are involved in sporozoite invasion of salivary glands via their attachment ability. These findings shed light on the conserved invasion mechanisms among apicomplexan infective stages. In addition, the sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown system has revealed for the first time in Plasmodium that the RON2 and RON4 interaction reciprocally affects their stability and trafficking to rhoptries. Our study raises the possibility that the RON complex functions during sporozoite maturation as well as migration toward and invasion of target cells.
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45
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Nadipuram SM, Thind AC, Rayatpisheh S, Wohlschlegel JA, Bradley PJ. Proximity biotinylation reveals novel secreted dense granule proteins of Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232552. [PMID: 32374791 PMCID: PMC7202600 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite which is capable of establishing life-long chronic infection in any mammalian host. During the intracellular life cycle, the parasite secretes an array of proteins into the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) where it resides. Specialized organelles called the dense granules secrete GRA proteins that are known to participate in nutrient acquisition, immune evasion, and host cell-cycle manipulation. Although many GRAs have been discovered which are expressed during the acute infection mediated by tachyzoites, little is known about those that participate in the chronic infection mediated by the bradyzoite form of the parasite. In this study, we sought to uncover novel bradyzoite-upregulated GRA proteins using proximity biotinylation, which we previously used to examine the secreted proteome of the tachyzoites. Using a fusion of the bradyzoite upregulated protein MAG1 to BirA* as bait and a strain with improved switch efficiency, we identified a number of novel GRA proteins which are expressed in bradyzoites. After using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to characterize these proteins by gene knockout, we focused on one of these GRAs (GRA55) and found it was important for the establishment or maintenance of cysts in the mouse brain. These findings highlight new components of the GRA proteome of the tissue-cyst life stage of T. gondii and identify potential targets that are important for maintenance of parasite persistence in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santhosh Mukund Nadipuram
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Amara Cervantes Thind
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Shima Rayatpisheh
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - James Akira Wohlschlegel
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Peter John Bradley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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46
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Cygan AM, Theisen TC, Mendoza AG, Marino ND, Panas MW, Boothroyd JC. Coimmunoprecipitation with MYR1 Identifies Three Additional Proteins within the Toxoplasma gondii Parasitophorous Vacuole Required for Translocation of Dense Granule Effectors into Host Cells. mSphere 2020; 5:e00858-19. [PMID: 32075880 PMCID: PMC7031616 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00858-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, intracellular protozoan that extensively modifies infected host cells through secreted effector proteins. Many such effectors must be translocated across the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), in which the parasites replicate, ultimately ending up in the host cytosol or nucleus. This translocation has previously been shown to be dependent on five parasite proteins: MYR1, MYR2, MYR3, ROP17, and ASP5. We report here the identification of several MYR1-interacting and novel PV-localized proteins via affinity purification of MYR1, including TGGT1_211460 (dubbed MYR4), TGGT1_204340 (dubbed GRA54), and TGGT1_270320 (PPM3C). Further, we show that three of the MYR1-interacting proteins, GRA44, GRA45, and MYR4, are essential for the translocation of the Toxoplasma effector protein GRA16 and for the upregulation of human c-Myc and cyclin E1 in infected cells. GRA44 and GRA45 contain ASP5 processing motifs, but like MYR1, processing at these sites appears to be nonessential for their role in protein translocation. These results expand our understanding of the mechanism of effector translocation in Toxoplasma and indicate that the process is highly complex and dependent on at least eight discrete proteins.IMPORTANCEToxoplasma is an extremely successful intracellular parasite and important human pathogen. Upon infection of a new cell, Toxoplasma establishes a replicative vacuole and translocates parasite effectors across this vacuole to function from the host cytosol and nucleus. These effectors play a key role in parasite virulence. The work reported here newly identifies three parasite proteins that are necessary for protein translocation into the host cell. These results significantly increase our knowledge of the molecular players involved in protein translocation in Toxoplasma-infected cells and provide additional potential drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja M Cygan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Terence C Theisen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Alma G Mendoza
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Nicole D Marino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael W Panas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - John C Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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47
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Li ZY, Guo HT, Tan J, Geng ZY, Zhu XQ. Devitalization of the immune mapped protein 1 undermines the intracellular proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii. Exp Parasitol 2020; 211:107843. [PMID: 32044321 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately one-third of the world's population as well as various animals, causing toxoplasmosis. However, there remains a need to define the functions of newly identified genes of T. gondii. In the present study, a novel molecule, immune mapped protein 1 of T. gondii (TgIMP1), was devitalized by CRISPR/Cas9 system to investigate the phenotypic changes of the parasite. We found that the virulence of ΔTgIMP1 knockout strain was reduced in comparison with wild-type GT1 tachyzoites, showing a statistically decreased plaque in HFF cells and a significantly prolonged survival period of mice (P < 0.05). Moreover, the data of phenotype analyses in vitro showed a different level of the intracellular proliferation and the subsequent egress between ΔTgIMP1 and wild-type GT1 strain (P < 0.05); while no statistically significant difference was detected during the process of attachment or invasion. These results suggested that TgIMP1 is closely associated with the intracellular proliferation of this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Yuan Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 541199, PR China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230036, PR 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, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China
| | - Hai-Ting Guo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 541199, PR China
| | - Jie Tan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 541199, PR China
| | - Zhao-Yu Geng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230036, PR China.
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- 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, Gansu Province, 730046, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, PR China.
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48
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Abstract
Rhoptries are key secretory organelles for Toxoplasma gondii invasion. Here, we describe how to assess the ability of T. gondii tachyzoites to secrete their rhoptry contents in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa B Lodoen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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49
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Yin D, Jiang N, Zhang Y, Wang D, Sang X, Feng Y, Chen R, Wang X, Yang N, Chen Q. Global Lysine Crotonylation and 2-Hydroxyisobutyrylation in Phenotypically Different Toxoplasma gondii Parasites. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:2207-2224. [PMID: 31488510 PMCID: PMC6823851 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra119.001611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a unicellular protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa. The parasite repeatedly goes through a cycle of invasion, division and induction of host cell rupture, which is an obligatory process for proliferation inside warm-blooded animals. It is known that the biology of the parasite is controlled by a variety of mechanisms ranging from genomic to epigenetic to transcriptional regulation. In this study, we investigated the global protein posttranslational lysine crotonylation and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation of two T. gondii strains, RH and ME49, which represent distinct phenotypes for proliferation and pathogenicity in the host. Proteins with differential expression and modification patterns associated with parasite phenotypes were identified. Many proteins in T. gondii were crotonylated and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated, and they were localized in diverse subcellular compartments involved in a wide variety of cellular functions such as motility, host invasion, metabolism and epigenetic gene regulation. These findings suggest that lysine crotonylation and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation are ubiquitous throughout the T. gondii proteome, regulating critical functions of the modified proteins. These data provide a basis for identifying important proteins associated with parasite development and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deqi Yin
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Dawei Wang
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Xiaoyu Sang
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Rang Chen
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- College of Basic Education, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Na Yang
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laoratory of Animal Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110166, China.
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50
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García-Sánchez M, Jiménez-Pelayo L, Horcajo P, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Collantes-Fernández E, Ortega-Mora LM. Gene Expression Profiling of Neospora caninum in Bovine Macrophages Reveals Differences Between Isolates Associated With Key Parasite Functions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:354. [PMID: 31681630 PMCID: PMC6803445 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific differences in biological traits between Neospora caninum isolates have been widely described and associated with variations in virulence. However, the molecular basis underlying these differences has been poorly studied. We demonstrated previously that Nc-Spain7 and Nc-Spain1H, high- and low-virulence isolates, respectively, show different invasion, proliferation and survival capabilities in bovine macrophages (boMØs), a key cell in the immune response against Neospora, and modulate the cell immune response in different ways. Here, we demonstrate that these differences are related to specific tachyzoite gene expression profiles. Specifically, the low-virulence Nc-Spain1H isolate showed enhanced expression of genes encoding for surface antigens and genes related to the bradyzoite stage. Among the primary up-regulated genes in Nc-Spain7, genes involved in parasite growth and redox homeostasis are particularly noteworthy because of their correlation with the enhanced proliferation and survival rates of Nc-Spain7 in boMØs relative to Nc-Spain1H. Genes potentially implicated in induction of proinflammatory immune responses were found to be up-regulated in the low-virulence isolate, whereas the high-virulence isolate showed enhanced expression of genes that may be involved in immune evasion. These results represent a further step in understanding the parasite effector molecules that may be associated to virulence and thus to disease traits as abortion and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta García-Sánchez
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Jiménez-Pelayo
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Horcajo
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Regidor-Cerrillo
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Saluvet-Innova, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Collantes-Fernández
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- Saluvet, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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