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Klinger CM, Jimenez-Ruiz E, Mourier T, Klingl A, Lemgruber L, Pain A, Dacks JB, Meissner M. Evolutionary analysis identifies a Golgi pathway and correlates lineage-specific factors with endomembrane organelle emergence in apicomplexans. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113740. [PMID: 38363682 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113740] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The organelle paralogy hypothesis (OPH) aims to explain the evolution of non-endosymbiotically derived organelles. It predicts that lineage-specific pathways or organelles should result when identity-encoding membrane-trafficking components duplicate and co-evolve. Here, we investigate the presence of such lineage-specific membrane-trafficking machinery paralogs in Apicomplexa, a globally important parasitic lineage. We are able to identify 18 paralogs of known membrane-trafficking machinery, in several cases co-incident with the presence of new endomembrane organelles in apicomplexans or their parent lineage, the Alveolata. Moreover, focused analysis of the apicomplexan Arf-like small GTPases (i.e., ArlX3) revealed a specific post-Golgi trafficking pathway. This pathway appears involved in delivery of proteins to micronemes and rhoptries, with knockdown demonstrating reduced invasion capacity. Overall, our data have identified an unforeseen post-Golgi trafficking pathway in apicomplexans and are consistent with the OPH mechanism acting to produce endomembrane pathways or organelles at various evolutionary stages across the alveolate lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christen M Klinger
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Elena Jimenez-Ruiz
- Experimental Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Mourier
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Bioscience Programme, Biological, and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Andreas Klingl
- Pflanzliche Entwicklungsbiologie, Biozentrum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Leandro Lemgruber
- Cellular Analysis Facility, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Arnab Pain
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Bioscience Programme, Biological, and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; International Institute for Zoonosis Control, GI-CoRE, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Markus Meissner
- Experimental Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, LMU, Munich, Germany.
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2
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Houngue R, Sangaré LO, Alayi TD, Dieng A, Bitard-Feildel T, Boulogne C, Slomianny C, Atindehou CM, Fanou LA, Hathout Y, Callebaut I, Tomavo S. Toxoplasma membrane inositol phospholipid binding protein TgREMIND is essential for secretory organelle function and host infection. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113601. [PMID: 38157297 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113601] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites possess specialized secretory organelles called rhoptries, micronemes, and dense granules that play a vital role in host infection. In this study, we demonstrate that TgREMIND, a protein found in Toxoplasma gondii, is necessary for the biogenesis of rhoptries and dense granules. TgREMIND contains a Fes-CIP4 homology-Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (F-BAR) domain, which binds to membrane phospholipids, as well as a novel uncharacterized domain that we have named REMIND (regulator of membrane-interacting domain). Both the F-BAR domain and the REMIND are crucial for TgREMIND functions. When TgREMIND is depleted, there is a significant decrease in the abundance of dense granules and abnormal transparency of rhoptries, leading to a reduction in protein secretion from these organelles. The absence of TgREMIND inhibits host invasion and parasite dissemination, demonstrating that TgREMIND is essential for the proper function of critical secretory organelles required for successful infection by Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigue Houngue
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Lamba Omar Sangaré
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Tchilabalo Dilezitoko Alayi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University-SUNY, Johnson City, NY 13790, USA
| | - Aissatou Dieng
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Tristan Bitard-Feildel
- Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR CNRS 7590, Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, IMPMC, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Claire Boulogne
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France; Plateforme Imagerie-Gif, Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Christian Slomianny
- University of Lille, Laboratory of Cell Physiology, INSERM U 1003, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Cynthia Menonve Atindehou
- Université d'Abomey Calavi, Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Cotonou, Bénin
| | - Lucie Ayi Fanou
- Université d'Abomey Calavi, Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Cotonou, Bénin
| | - Yetrib Hathout
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University-SUNY, Johnson City, NY 13790, USA
| | - Isabelle Callebaut
- Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR CNRS 7590, Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, IMPMC, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Stanislas Tomavo
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France.
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3
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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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4
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Arabiotorre A, Bankaitis VA, Grabon A. Regulation of phosphoinositide metabolism in Apicomplexan parasites. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1163574. [PMID: 37791074 PMCID: PMC10543664 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1163574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphoinositides are a biologically essential class of phospholipids that contribute to organelle membrane identity, modulate membrane trafficking pathways, and are central components of major signal transduction pathways that operate on the cytosolic face of intracellular membranes in eukaryotes. Apicomplexans (such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp.) are obligate intracellular parasites that are important causative agents of disease in animals and humans. Recent advances in molecular and cell biology of Apicomplexan parasites reveal important roles for phosphoinositide signaling in key aspects of parasitosis. These include invasion of host cells, intracellular survival and replication, egress from host cells, and extracellular motility. As Apicomplexans have adapted to the organization of essential signaling pathways to accommodate their complex parasitic lifestyle, these organisms offer experimentally tractable systems for studying the evolution, conservation, and repurposing of phosphoinositide signaling. In this review, we describe the regulatory mechanisms that control the spatial and temporal regulation of phosphoinositides in the Apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium and T. gondii. We further discuss the similarities and differences presented by Apicomplexan phosphoinositide signaling relative to how these pathways are regulated in other eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Arabiotorre
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College Station, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Vytas A. Bankaitis
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College Station, Bryan, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Chemistry Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Aby Grabon
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College Station, Bryan, TX, United States
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5
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Zhang S, Wang F, Zhang D, Liu D, Ding W, Springer TA, Song G. Structural insights into MIC2 recognition by MIC2-associated protein in Toxoplasma gondii. Commun Biol 2023; 6:895. [PMID: 37652989 PMCID: PMC10471735 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05277-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Microneme protein 2 (MIC2) and MIC2-associated protein (M2AP) play crucial roles in the gliding motility and host cell invasion of Toxoplasma gondii. Complex formation between MIC2 and M2AP is required for maturation and transport from the microneme to the parasite surface. Previous studies showed that M2AP associates with the 6th TSR domain of MIC2 (TSR6), but the detailed interaction remains unclear. In this study, we report crystal structures of M2AP alone and in complex with TSR6. TSR domains have an unusually thin, long structure with a layer of intercalated residues on one side. The non-layered side of TSR6 with hotspot residue His-620 at the center binds to M2AP. Remarkably, we show that TSR6 residue Y602 is dynamic; it equilibrates between being part of the layer (the layered state) and in a flipped-out state in the absence of M2AP. However, when bound to M2AP, Y602 shifts to the flipped-out state. Our findings provide insights into the association and stabilization of MIC2-M2AP complex, and may be used to develop new therapies to prevent infections caused by this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China
| | - Dujuan Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongsheng Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Ding
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Timothy A Springer
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, and Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Gaojie Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China.
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6
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Thornton LB, Key M, Micchelli C, Stasic AJ, Kwain S, Floyd K, Moreno SN, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Dou Z. A cathepsin C-like protease mediates the post-translation modification of Toxoplasma gondii secretory proteins for optimal invasion and egress. mBio 2023; 14:e0017423. [PMID: 37326431 PMCID: PMC10470614 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00174-23] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial pathogens use proteases for their infections, such as digestion of proteins for nutrients and activation of their virulence factors. As an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii must invade host cells to establish its intracellular propagation. To facilitate invasion, the parasites secrete invasion effectors from microneme and rhoptry, two unique organelles in apicomplexans. Previous work has shown that some micronemal invasion effectors experience a series of proteolytic cleavages within the parasite's secretion pathway for maturation, such as the aspartyl protease (TgASP3) and the cathepsin L-like protease (TgCPL), localized within the post-Golgi compartment and the endolysosomal system, respectively. Furthermore, it has been shown that the precise maturation of micronemal effectors is critical for Toxoplasma invasion and egress. Here, we show that an endosome-like compartment (ELC)-residing cathepsin C-like protease (TgCPC1) mediates the final trimming of some micronemal effectors, and its loss further results in defects in the steps of invasion, egress, and migration throughout the parasite's lytic cycle. Notably, the deletion of TgCPC1 completely blocks the activation of subtilisin-like protease 1 (TgSUB1) in the parasites, which globally impairs the surface-trimming of many key micronemal invasion and egress effectors. Additionally, we found that Toxoplasma is not efficiently inhibited by the chemical inhibitor targeting the malarial CPC ortholog, suggesting that these cathepsin C-like orthologs are structurally different within the apicomplexan phylum. Collectively, our findings identify a novel function of TgCPC1 in processing micronemal proteins within the Toxoplasma parasite's secretory pathway and expand the understanding of the roles of cathepsin C protease. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is a microbial pathogen that is well adapted for disseminating infections. It can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals. Approximately one-third of the human population carries toxoplasmosis. During infection, the parasites sequentially secrete protein effectors from the microneme, rhoptry, and dense granule, three organelles exclusively found in apicomplexan parasites, to help establish their lytic cycle. Proteolytic cleavage of these secretory proteins is required for the parasite's optimal function. Previous work has revealed that two proteases residing within the parasite's secretory pathway cleave micronemal and rhoptry proteins, which mediate parasite invasion and egress. Here, we demonstrate that a cathepsin C-like protease (TgCPC1) is involved in processing several invasion and egress effectors. The genetic deletion of TgCPC1 prevented the complete maturation of some effectors in the parasites. Strikingly, the deletion led to a full inactivation of one surface-anchored protease, which globally impaired the trimming of some key micronemal proteins before secretion. Therefore, this finding represents a novel post-translational mechanism for the processing of virulence factors within microbial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Brock Thornton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Melanie Key
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Chiara Micchelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Andrew J. Stasic
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Samuel Kwain
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Katherine Floyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Silvia N.J. Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Brian N. Dominy
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Daniel C. Whitehead
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Zhicheng Dou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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Wang QQ, Sun M, Tang T, Lai DH, Liu J, Maity S, He K, Wu XT, Yang J, Li YB, Tang XY, Ding HY, Hide G, Distefano M, Lun ZR, Zhu XQ, Long S. Functional screening reveals Toxoplasma prenylated proteins required for endocytic trafficking and rhoptry protein sorting. mBio 2023; 14:e0130923. [PMID: 37548452 PMCID: PMC10470541 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01309-23] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the apicomplexans, endocytosed cargos (e.g., hemoglobin) are trafficked to a specialized organelle for digestion. This follows a unique endocytotic process at the micropore/cytostome in these parasites. However, the mechanism underlying endocytic trafficking remains elusive, due to the repurposing of classical endocytic proteins for the biogenesis of apical organelles. To resolve this issue, we have exploited the genetic tractability of the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii, which ingests host cytosolic materials (e.g., green fluorescent protein[GFP]). We determined an association between protein prenylation and endocytic trafficking, and using an alkyne-labeled click chemistry approach, the prenylated proteome was characterized. Genome editing, using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repaet/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), was efficiently utilized to generate genetically modified lines for the functional screening of 23 prenylated candidates. This identified four of these proteins that regulate the trafficking of endocytosed GFP vesicles. Among these proteins, Rab1B and YKT6.1 are highly conserved but are non-classical endocytic proteins in eukaryotes. Confocal imaging analysis showed that Rab1B and Ras are substantially localized to both the trans-Golgi network and the endosome-like compartments in the parasite. Conditional knockdown of Rab1B caused a rapid defect in secretory trafficking to the rhoptry bulb, suggesting a trafficking intersection role for the key regulator Rab1B. Further experiments confirmed a critical role for protein prenylation in regulating the stability/activity of these proteins (i.e., Rab1B and YKT6.1) in the parasite. Our findings define the molecular basis of endocytic trafficking and reveal a potential intersection function of Rab1B on membrane trafficking in T. gondii. This might extend to other related protists, including the malarial parasites. IMPORTANCE The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii establishes a permissive niche, in host cells, that allows parasites to acquire large molecules such as proteins. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the parasite repurposes the classical endocytic components for secretory sorting to the apical organelles, leaving the question of endocytic transport to the lysosome-like compartment unclear. Recent studies indicated that endocytic trafficking is likely to associate with protein prenylation in malarial parasites. This information promoted us to examine this association in the model apicomplexan T. gondii and to identify the key components of the prenylated proteome that are involved. By exploiting the genetic tractability of T. gondii and a host GFP acquisition assay, we reveal four non-classical endocytic proteins that regulate the transport of endocytosed cargos (e.g., GFP) in T. gondii. Thus, we extend the principle that protein prenylation regulates endocytic trafficking and elucidate the process of non-classical endocytosis in T. gondii and potentially in other related protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang-Qiang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - De-Hua Lai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Sanjay Maity
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kai He
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Ting Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiong Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Bao Li
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Yong Ding
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Geoff Hide
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Centre and Environmental Research and Innovation Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Distefano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zhao-Rong Lun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Shaojun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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8
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Król G, Fortunka K, Majchrzak M, Piktel E, Paprocka P, Mańkowska A, Lesiak A, Karasiński M, Strzelecka A, Durnaś B, Bucki R. Metallic Nanoparticles and Core-Shell Nanosystems in the Treatment, Diagnosis, and Prevention of Parasitic Diseases. Pathogens 2023; 12:838. [PMID: 37375528 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The usage of nanotechnology in the fight against parasitic diseases is in the early stages of development, but it brings hopes that this new field will provide a solution to target the early stages of parasitosis, compensate for the lack of vaccines for most parasitic diseases, and also provide new treatment options for diseases in which parasites show increased resistance to current drugs. The huge physicochemical diversity of nanomaterials developed so far, mainly for antibacterial and anti-cancer therapies, requires additional studies to determine their antiparasitic potential. When designing metallic nanoparticles (MeNPs) and specific nanosystems, such as complexes of MeNPs, with the shell of attached drugs, several physicochemical properties need to be considered. The most important are: size, shape, surface charge, type of surfactants that control their dispersion, and shell molecules that should assure specific molecular interaction with targeted molecules of parasites' cells. Therefore, it can be expected that the development of antiparasitic drugs using strategies provided by nanotechnology and the use of nanomaterials for diagnostic purposes will soon provide new and effective methods of antiparasitic therapy and effective diagnostic tools that will improve the prevention and reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Król
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Kamila Fortunka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Michał Majchrzak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Ewelina Piktel
- Independent Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2B, 15-222 Białystok, Poland
| | - Paulina Paprocka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Angelika Mańkowska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Agata Lesiak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Maciej Karasiński
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2C, 15-222 Białystok, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Strzelecka
- Department of Public Health , Institute of Health Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Bonita Durnaś
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
| | - Robert Bucki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2C, 15-222 Białystok, Poland
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9
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Thornton LB, Key M, Micchelli C, Stasic AJ, Kwain S, Floyd K, Moreno SNJ, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Dou Z. A cathepsin C-like protease post-translationally modifies Toxoplasma gondii secretory proteins for optimal invasion and egress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.21.525043. [PMID: 36712013 PMCID: PMC9882377 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.21.525043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Microbial pathogens use proteases for their infections, such as digestion of proteins for nutrients and activation of their virulence factors. As an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii must invade host cells to establish its intracellular propagation. To facilitate invasion, the parasites secrete invasion effectors from microneme and rhoptry, two unique organelles in apicomplexans. Previous work has shown that some micronemal invasion effectors experience a series of proteolytic cleavages within the parasite's secretion pathway for maturation, such as the aspartyl protease (TgASP3) and the cathepsin L-like protease (TgCPL), localized within the post-Golgi compartment (1) and the endolysosomal system (2), respectively. Furthermore, it has been shown that the precise maturation of micronemal effectors is critical for Toxoplasma invasion and egress (1). Here, we show that an endosome-like compartment (ELC)-residing cathepsin C-like protease (TgCPC1) mediates the final trimming of some micronemal effectors, and its loss further results in defects in the steps of invasion, egress, and migration throughout the parasite's lytic cycle. Notably, the deletion of TgCPC1 completely blocks the activation of subtilisin-like protease 1 (TgSUB1) in the parasites, which globally impairs the surface-trimming of many key micronemal invasion and egress effectors. Additionally, we found that TgCPC1 was not efficiently inhibited by the chemical inhibitor targeting its malarial ortholog, suggesting that these cathepsin C-like orthologs are structurally different within the apicomplexan phylum. Taken together, our findings identify a novel function of TgCPC1 in the processing of micronemal proteins within the secretory pathway of Toxoplasma parasites and expand the understanding of the roles of cathepsin C protease. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is a microbial pathogen that is well adapted for disseminating infections. It can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals. Approximately one-third of the human population carries toxoplasmosis. During infection, the parasites sequentially secrete protein effectors from the microneme, rhoptry, and dense granule, three organelles exclusively found in apicomplexan parasites, to help establish their lytic cycle. Proteolytic cleavage of these secretory proteins is required for the parasite's optimal function. Previous work has revealed that two proteases residing within the parasite's secretory pathway cleave micronemal and rhoptry proteins, which mediate parasite invasion and egress. Here, we demonstrate that a cathepsin C-like protease (TgCPC1) is involved in processing several invasion and egress effectors. The genetic deletion of TgCPC1 prevented the complete maturation of some effectors in the parasites. Strikingly, the deletion led to a full inactivation of one surface-anchored protease, which globally impaired the trimming of some key micronemal proteins before secretion. Therefore, this finding represents a novel post-translational mechanism for the processing of virulence factors within microbial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Brock Thornton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Melanie Key
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Chiara Micchelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Stasic
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Samuel Kwain
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Katherine Floyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Silvia N. J. Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Brian N. Dominy
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Daniel C. Whitehead
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Zhicheng Dou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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10
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Honfozo A, Houngue R, Vandeputte A, Dechavanne S, Nouatin O, Atindehou MC, Fanou LA, Massougbodji A, Dechavanne C, Brodin P, Tomavo S. An image-based high-content screening for compounds targeting Toxoplasma gondii repurposed inhibitors effective against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1102551. [PMID: 36936758 PMCID: PMC10020723 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1102551] [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: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa phylum includes numerous obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that are life threatening for humans and animals. In this context, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii are of particular interest, as they are responsible for malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively, for which efficient vaccines are presently lacking and therapies need to be improved. Apicomplexan parasites have a highly polarized morphology, with their apical end containing specific secretory organelles named rhoptries and micronemes, which depend on the unique receptor and transporter sortilin TgSORT for their biogenesis. In the present study, we took advantage of the subcellular polarity of the parasite to engineer a clonal transgenic Toxoplasma line that expresses simultaneously the green fluorescent protein TgSORT-GFP in the post-Golgi-endosome-like compartment and the red fluorescent protein rhoptry ROP1-mCherry near the apical end. We utilized this fluorescent transgenic T. gondii to develop a miniaturized image-based phenotype assay coupled to an automated image analysis. By applying this methodology to 1,120 compounds, we identified 12 that are capable of disrupting the T. gondii morphology and inhibiting intracellular replication. Analysis of the selected compounds confirmed that all 12 are kinase inhibitors and intramembrane pumps, with some exhibiting potent activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Our findings highlight the advantage of comparative and targeted phenotypic analysis involving two related parasite species as a means of identifying molecules with a conserved mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Honfozo
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Rodrigue Houngue
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Alexandre Vandeputte
- Université de Lille, CNRS UMR 9017, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 − UAR 2014 − PLBS, CIIL − Center for Immunity and Infection of Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Odilon Nouatin
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin, Abomey-Calavi, Benin
| | | | - Lucie Ayi Fanou
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, FAST/UAC, Cotonou, Benin
| | | | - Célia Dechavanne
- Université de Paris Cité, IRD, MERIT, Paris, France
- CERPAGE, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Priscille Brodin
- Université de Lille, CNRS UMR 9017, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 − UAR 2014 − PLBS, CIIL − Center for Immunity and Infection of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Stanislas Tomavo
- Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 9198-CEA, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif sur Yvette, France
- *Correspondence: Stanislas Tomavo,
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11
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Effects of different drugs and hormone treatment on Toxoplasma gondii glutathione S-transferase 2. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:461. [PMID: 36510329 PMCID: PMC9746104 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05589-w] [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: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutathione S-transferase (GST) in eukaryotic organisms has multiple functions such as detoxifying endogenous/exogenous harmful substances to protect cells from oxidative damage, participating in sterol synthesis and metabolism, and regulating signaling pathways. Our previous work identified an important GST protein in Toxoplasma that contributes to vesicle trafficking called TgGST2, the deletion of which significantly reduces the virulence of the parasite. Meanwhile, we considered that TgGST2 may also play a role in other pathways of parasite life activities. METHODS The tertiary structures of TgGST2 as well as estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) were predicted by trRosetta and Autodock Vina software, the binding sites were analyzed by PyMol's GetBox Plugin, and the binding capacity was evaluated using Discovery Studio plots software. We examined the influence of E2 and P4 on TgGST2 via glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and through the localization observation of TgGST2 to evaluate its response ability in different drugs. RESULTS TgGST2 could bind to exogenous E2 and P4, and that enzymatic activity was inhibited by the hormones in a concentration-dependent manner. Upon P4 treatment, the localization of TgGST2 changed from Golgi and vesicles to hollow circles, leading to abnormal localization of the molecular transporter Sortilin (VPS10) and microneme proteins (M2AP and MIC2), which ultimately affect the parasite life activities, but E2 had no significant effect. Moreover, diverse types of drugs had divergent effects on TgGST2, among which treatment with antifungal agents (voriconazole and clarithromycin), anticarcinogens (KU-60019, WYE-132 and SH5-07) and coccidiostats (dinitolmide and diclazuril) made the localization of TgGST2 appear in different forms, including dots, circles and rod shaped. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that TgGST2 plays a role in sterol treatment and can be affected by P4, which leads to deficient parasite motility. TgGST2 exerts divergent effects in response to the different properties of the drugs themselves. Its responsiveness to diverse drugs implies a viable target for the development of drugs directed against Toxoplasma and related pathogenic parasites.
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12
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Stasic AJ, Moreno SNJ, Carruthers VB, Dou Z. The Toxoplasma plant-like vacuolar compartment (PLVAC). J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12951. [PMID: 36218001 PMCID: PMC10576567 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa and is an important cause of congenital disease and infection in immunocompromised patients. T. gondii shares several characteristics with plants including a nonphotosynthetic plastid termed apicoplast and a multivesicular organelle that was named the plant-like vacuole (PLV) or vacuolar compartment (VAC). The name plant-like vacuole was selected based on its resemblance in composition and function to plant vacuoles. The name VAC represents its general vacuolar characteristics. We will refer to the organelle as PLVAC in this review. New findings in recent years have revealed that the PLVAC represents the lysosomal compartment of T. gondii which has adapted peculiarities to fulfill specific Toxoplasma needs. In this review, we discuss the composition and functions of the PLVAC highlighting its roles in ion storage and homeostasis, endocytosis, exocytosis, and autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Stasic
- Department of Microbiology, Heartland FPG, Carmel, Indiana, USA
| | - Silvia N J Moreno
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, Athens, USA
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Georgia, Athens, USA
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Zhicheng Dou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, South Carolina, Clemson, USA
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13
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Marugan-Hernandez V, Sanchez-Arsuaga G, Vaughan S, Burrell A, Tomley FM. Do All Coccidia Follow the Same Trafficking Rules? Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11090909. [PMID: 34575057 PMCID: PMC8465013 DOI: 10.3390/life11090909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coccidia are a subclass of the Apicomplexa and include several genera of protozoan parasites that cause important diseases in humans and animals, with Toxoplasma gondii becoming the ‘model organism’ for research into the coccidian molecular and cellular processes. The amenability to the cultivation of T. gondii tachyzoites and the wide availability of molecular tools for this parasite have revealed many mechanisms related to their cellular trafficking and roles of parasite secretory organelles, which are critical in parasite-host interaction. Nevertheless, the extrapolation of the T. gondii mechanisms described in tachyzoites to other coccidian parasites should be done carefully. In this review, we considered published data from Eimeria parasites, a coccidian genus comprising thousands of species whose infections have important consequences in livestock and poultry. These studies suggest that the Coccidia possess both shared and diversified mechanisms of protein trafficking and secretion potentially linked to their lifecycles. Whereas trafficking and secretion appear to be well conversed prior to and during host-cell invasion, important differences emerge once endogenous development commences. Therefore, further studies to validate the mechanisms described in T. gondii tachyzoites should be performed across a broader range of coccidians (including T. gondii sporozoites). In addition, further genus-specific research regarding important disease-causing Coccidia is needed to unveil the individual molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis related to their specific lifecycles and hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Marugan-Hernandez
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)-17-0766-9445
| | - Gonzalo Sanchez-Arsuaga
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
| | - Sue Vaughan
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
| | - Alana Burrell
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK;
| | - Fiona M. Tomley
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK; (G.S.-A.); (F.M.T.)
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14
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Li S, Liu J, Zhang H, Sun Z, Ying Z, Wu Y, Xu J, Liu Q. Toxoplasma gondii glutathione S-transferase 2 plays an important role in partial secretory protein transport. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21352. [PMID: 33543805 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001987rr] [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: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite, which has three unique secretory organelles: micronemes, rhoptries, and dense granules. Almost all the secreted proteins are transported through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi system to function in their respective destination by accurate targeting and packaging. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a supergene family enzyme that has multiple functions, which include regulation of cell proliferation and death signaling pathways, and participation in transportation and metabolism in mammal cells. However, the role of GST in Toxoplasma gondii has not been explained. In this study, we identified three GST proteins in T gondii, of which GST2 acts as a membrane protein that localizes to the Golgi-endosomal system and colocalizes with proteins involved in vesicle transport as well, including synaptobrevin, putative sortilin (VPS10), Rab5 and Rab6, which function as vesicle transport factors. Moreover, the loss of TgGST2 leads to Rab5 and Rab6 distribution of discrete puncta, and incorrect localization and decreased expression of several secretory proteins, and to significantly reduced invasion capacity and virulence to mice. Consistent with its relation to vesicle transport proteins, the distribution of TgGST2 relies on post-Golgi trafficking. Overall, our findings demonstrated that TgGST2 contributes to vesicle trafficking and plays a critical role in parasite lytic cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- 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
| | - Heng Zhang
- 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
| | - Zhepeng Sun
- 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
| | - Zhu Ying
- 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
| | - Yihan 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
| | - Jianhai Xu
- 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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15
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McGovern OL, Rivera-Cuevas Y, Carruthers VB. Emerging Mechanisms of Endocytosis in Toxoplasma gondii. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11020084. [PMID: 33503859 PMCID: PMC7911406 DOI: 10.3390/life11020084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotes critically rely on endocytosis of autologous and heterologous material to maintain homeostasis and to proliferate. Although mechanisms of endocytosis have been extensively identified in mammalian and plant systems along with model systems including budding yeast, relatively little is known about endocytosis in protozoan parasites including those belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa. Whereas it has been long established that the apicomplexan agents of malaria (Plasmodium spp.) internalize and degrade hemoglobin from infected red blood cells to acquire amino acids for growth, that the related and pervasive parasite Toxoplasma gondii has a functional and active endocytic system was only recently discovered. Here we discuss emerging and hypothesized mechanisms of endocytosis in Toxoplasma gondii with reference to model systems and malaria parasites. Establishing a framework for potential mechanisms of endocytosis in Toxoplasma gondii will help guide future research aimed at defining the molecular basis and biological relevance of endocytosis in this tractable and versatile parasite.
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16
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Stasic AJ, Chasen NM, Dykes EJ, Vella SA, Asady B, Starai VJ, Moreno SNJ. The Toxoplasma Vacuolar H +-ATPase Regulates Intracellular pH and Impacts the Maturation of Essential Secretory Proteins. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2132-2146.e7. [PMID: 31091451 PMCID: PMC6760873 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vacuolar-proton ATPases (V-ATPases) are conserved complexes that couple the hydrolysis of ATP to the pumping of protons across membranes. V-ATPases are known to play diverse roles in cellular physiology. We studied the Toxoplasma gondii V-ATPase complex and discovered a dual role of the pump in protecting parasites against ionic stress and in the maturation of secretory proteins in endosomal-like compartments. Toxoplasma V-ATPase subunits localize to the plasma membrane and to acidic vesicles, and characterization of conditional mutants of the a1 subunit highlighted the functionality of the complex at both locations. Microneme and rhoptry proteins are required for invasion and modulation of host cells, and they traffic via endosome-like compartments in which proteolytic maturation occurs. We show that the V-ATPase supports the maturation of rhoptry and microneme proteins, and their maturases, during their traffic to their corresponding organelles. This work underscores a role for V-ATPases in regulating virulence pathways. Stasic et al. characterize the function of the vacuolar proton ATPase in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread parasite that infects almost one-third of the world’s population. The work presents molecular evidence of the pump’s role in the synthesis of virulence factors of a highly successful pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Stasic
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Nathan M Chasen
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Eric J Dykes
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Stephen A Vella
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Beejan Asady
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Vincent J Starai
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA
| | - Silvia N J Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7400, USA.
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17
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Spielmann T, Gras S, Sabitzki R, Meissner M. Endocytosis in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma Parasites. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:520-532. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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18
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Albuquerque-Wendt A, Jacot D, Dos Santos Pacheco N, Seegers C, Zarnovican P, Buettner FFR, Bakker H, Soldati-Favre D, Routier FH. C-Mannosylation of Toxoplasma gondii proteins promotes attachment to host cells and parasite virulence. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:1066-1076. [PMID: 31862733 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010590] [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: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
C-Mannosylation is a common modification of thrombospondin type 1 repeats present in metazoans and recently identified also in apicomplexan parasites. This glycosylation is mediated by enzymes of the DPY19 family that transfer α-mannoses to tryptophan residues in the sequence WX 2WX 2C, which is part of the structurally essential tryptophan ladder. Here, deletion of the dpy19 gene in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii abolished C-mannosyltransferase activity and reduced levels of the micronemal protein MIC2. The loss of C-mannosyltransferase activity was associated with weakened parasite adhesion to host cells and with reduced parasite motility, host cell invasion, and parasite egress. Interestingly, the C-mannosyltransferase-deficient Δdpy19 parasites were strongly attenuated in virulence and induced protective immunity in mice. This parasite attenuation could not simply be explained by the decreased MIC2 level and strongly suggests that absence of C-mannosyltransferase activity leads to an insufficient level of additional proteins. In summary, our results indicate that T. gondii C-mannosyltransferase DPY19 is not essential for parasite survival, but is important for adhesion, motility, and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Carla Seegers
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Patricia Zarnovican
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Falk F R Buettner
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Hans Bakker
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise H Routier
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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19
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Albuquerque-Wendt A, Jacot D, Dos Santos Pacheco N, Seegers C, Zarnovican P, Buettner FF, Bakker H, Soldati-Favre D, Routier FH. C-Mannosylation of Toxoplasma gondii proteins promotes attachment to host cells and parasite virulence. J Biol Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9258(17)49916-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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20
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Periz J, Del Rosario M, McStea A, Gras S, Loney C, Wang L, Martin-Fernandez ML, Meissner M. A highly dynamic F-actin network regulates transport and recycling of micronemes in Toxoplasma gondii vacuoles. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4183. [PMID: 31519913 PMCID: PMC6744512 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii replicates in an unusual process, described as internal budding. Multiple dausghter parasites are formed sequentially within a single mother cell, requiring replication and distribution of essential organelles such as micronemes. These organelles are thought to be formed de novo in the developing daughter cells. Using dual labelling of a microneme protein MIC2 and super-resolution microscopy, we show that micronemes are recycled from the mother to the forming daughter parasites using a highly dynamic F-actin network. While this recycling pathway is F-actin dependent, de novo synthesis of micronemes appears to be F-actin independent. The F-actin network connects individual parasites, supports long, multidirectional vesicular transport, and regulates transport, density and localisation of micronemal vesicles. The residual body acts as a storage and sorting station for these organelles. Our data describe an F-actin dependent mechanism in apicomplexans for transport and recycling of maternal organelles during intracellular development. Replication of Toxoplasma gondii requires replication and distribution of essential organelles such as micronemes. Here, Periz et al. show that micronemes are recycled from the mother to the forming daughter cells using a highly dynamic F-actin network that supports multidirectional vesicle transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Periz
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Mario Del Rosario
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alexandra McStea
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell Science & Technology Facilities Council, Harwell Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Simon Gras
- Experimental Parasitology, Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Colin Loney
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Sir Michael Stoker Building, Garscube Campus, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lin Wang
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell Science & Technology Facilities Council, Harwell Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Marisa L Martin-Fernandez
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell Science & Technology Facilities Council, Harwell Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Markus Meissner
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. .,Experimental Parasitology, Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
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21
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Dubois DJ, Soldati-Favre D. Biogenesis and secretion of micronemes in Toxoplasma gondii. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e13018. [PMID: 30791192 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the hallmarks of the parasitic phylum of Apicomplexa is the presence of highly specialised, apical secretory organelles, called the micronemes and rhoptries that play critical roles in ensuring survival and dissemination. Upon exocytosis, the micronemes release adhesin complexes, perforins, and proteases that are crucially implicated in egress from infected cells, gliding motility, migration across biological barriers, and host cell invasion. Recent studies on Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species have shed more light on the signalling events and the machinery that trigger microneme secretion. Intracellular cyclic nucleotides, calcium level, and phosphatidic acid act as key mediators of microneme exocytosis, and several downstream effectors have been identified. Here, we review the key steps of microneme biogenesis and exocytosis, summarising the still fractal knowledge at the molecular level regarding the fusion event with the parasite plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Dubois
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva CMU, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva CMU, Geneva, Switzerland
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22
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Bandini G, Leon DR, Hoppe CM, Zhang Y, Agop-Nersesian C, Shears MJ, Mahal LK, Routier FH, Costello CE, Samuelson J. O-Fucosylation of thrombospondin-like repeats is required for processing of microneme protein 2 and for efficient host cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:1967-1983. [PMID: 30538131 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that causes disseminated infections that can produce neurological damage in fetuses and immunocompromised individuals. Microneme protein 2 (MIC2), a member of the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family, is a secreted protein important for T. gondii motility, host cell attachment, invasion, and egress. MIC2 contains six thrombospondin type I repeats (TSRs) that are modified by C-mannose and O-fucose in Plasmodium spp. and mammals. Here, using MS analysis, we found that the four TSRs in T. gondii MIC2 with protein O-fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2) acceptor sites are modified by a dHexHex disaccharide, whereas Trp residues within three TSRs are also modified with C-mannose. Disruption of genes encoding either POFUT2 or the putative GDP-fucose transporter (NST2) resulted in loss of MIC2 O-fucosylation, as detected by an antibody against the GlcFuc disaccharide, and in markedly reduced cellular levels of MIC2. Furthermore, in 10-15% of the Δpofut2 or Δnst2 vacuoles, MIC2 accumulated earlier in the secretory pathway rather than localizing to micronemes. Dissemination of tachyzoites in human foreskin fibroblasts was reduced for these knockouts, which both exhibited defects in attachment to and invasion of host cells comparable with the Δmic2 phenotype. These results, indicating that O-fucosylation of TSRs is required for efficient processing of MIC2 and for normal parasite invasion, are consistent with the recent demonstration that Plasmodium falciparum Δpofut2 strain has decreased virulence and also support a conserved role for this glycosylation pathway in quality control of TSR-containing proteins in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bandini
- From the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Deborah R Leon
- the Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Carolin M Hoppe
- the Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Yue Zhang
- the Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Chemistry Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, and
| | - Carolina Agop-Nersesian
- From the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Melanie J Shears
- the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Lara K Mahal
- the Department of Chemistry, Biomedical Chemistry Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, and
| | - Françoise H Routier
- the Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Catherine E Costello
- the Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - John Samuelson
- From the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118,
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23
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Heredero-Bermejo I, Varberg JM, Charvat R, Jacobs K, Garbuz T, Sullivan WJ, Arrizabalaga G. TgDrpC, an atypical dynamin-related protein in Toxoplasma gondii, is associated with vesicular transport factors and parasite division. Mol Microbiol 2018; 111:46-64. [PMID: 30362624 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Dynamin-related proteins (Drps) are involved in diverse processes such as organelle division and vesicle trafficking. The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii possesses three distinct Drps. TgDrpC, whose function remains unresolved, is unusual in that it lacks a conserved GTPase Effector Domain, which is typically required for function. Here, we show that TgDrpC localizes to cytoplasmic puncta; however, in dividing parasites, TgDrpC redistributes to the growing edge of the daughter cells. By conditional knockdown, we determined that loss of TgDrpC stalls division and leads to rapid deterioration of multiple organelles and the IMC. We also show that TgDrpC interacts with proteins that exhibit homology to those involved in vesicle transport, including members of the adaptor complex 2. Two of these proteins, a homolog of the adaptor protein 2 (AP-2) complex subunit alpha-1 and a homolog of the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) family proteins, localize to puncta and associate with the daughter cells. Consistent with the association with vesicle transport proteins, re-distribution of TgDrpC to the IMC during division is dependent on post-Golgi trafficking. Together, these results support that TgDrpC contributes to vesicle trafficking and is critical for stability of parasite organelles and division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Heredero-Bermejo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Joseph M Varberg
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Robert Charvat
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Kylie Jacobs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Tamila Garbuz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - William J Sullivan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Gustavo Arrizabalaga
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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24
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Hoppe CM, Albuquerque-Wendt A, Bandini G, Leon DR, Shcherbakova A, Buettner FFR, Izquierdo L, Costello CE, Bakker H, Routier FH. Apicomplexan C-Mannosyltransferases Modify Thrombospondin Type I-containing Adhesins of the TRAP Family. Glycobiology 2018; 28:333-343. [PMID: 29432542 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwy013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In many metazoan species, an unusual type of protein glycosylation, called C-mannosylation, occurs on adhesive thrombospondin type 1 repeats (TSRs) and type I cytokine receptors. This modification has been shown to be catalyzed by the Caenorhabditis elegans DPY-19 protein and orthologues of the encoding gene were found in the genome of apicomplexan parasites. Lately, the micronemal adhesin thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) was shown to be C-hexosylated in Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites. Here, we demonstrate that also the micronemal protein MIC2 secreted by Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites is C-hexosylated. When expressed in a mammalian cell line deficient in C-mannosylation, P. falciparum and T. gondii Dpy19 homologs were able to modify TSR domains of the micronemal adhesins TRAP/MIC2 family involved in parasite motility and invasion. In vitro, the apicomplexan enzymes can transfer mannose to a WXXWXXC peptide but, in contrast to C. elegans or mammalian C-mannosyltransferases, are inactive on a short WXXW peptide. Since TSR domains are commonly found in apicomplexan surface proteins, C-mannosylation may be a common modification in this phylum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin M Hoppe
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreia Albuquerque-Wendt
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Giulia Bandini
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Deborah R Leon
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, 670 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Aleksandra Shcherbakova
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Falk F R Buettner
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), University of Barcelona, Carrer Rosselo 149-153, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Catherine E Costello
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, 670 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Hans Bakker
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Françoise H Routier
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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25
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Venugopal K, Marion S. Secretory organelle trafficking in Toxoplasma gondii: A long story for a short travel. Int J Med Microbiol 2018; 308:751-760. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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26
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Lehmann C, Tan MSY, de Vries LE, Russo I, Sanchez MI, Goldberg DE, Deu E. Plasmodium falciparum dipeptidyl aminopeptidase 3 activity is important for efficient erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007031. [PMID: 29768491 PMCID: PMC5973627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasite egress from infected erythrocytes and invasion of new red blood cells are essential processes for the exponential asexual replication of the malaria parasite. These two tightly coordinated events take place in less than a minute and are in part regulated and mediated by proteases. Dipeptidyl aminopeptidases (DPAPs) are papain-fold cysteine proteases that cleave dipeptides from the N-terminus of protein substrates. DPAP3 was previously suggested to play an essential role in parasite egress. However, little is known about its enzymatic activity, intracellular localization, or biological function. In this study, we recombinantly expressed DPAP3 and demonstrate that it has indeed dipeptidyl aminopeptidase activity, but contrary to previously studied DPAPs, removal of its internal prodomain is not required for activation. By combining super resolution microscopy, time-lapse fluorescence microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy, we show that Plasmodium falciparum DPAP3 localizes to apical organelles that are closely associated with the neck of the rhoptries, and from which DPAP3 is secreted immediately before parasite egress. Using a conditional knockout approach coupled to complementation studies with wild type or mutant DPAP3, we show that DPAP3 activity is important for parasite proliferation and critical for efficient red blood cell invasion. We also demonstrate that DPAP3 does not play a role in parasite egress, and that the block in egress phenotype previously reported for DPAP3 inhibitors is due to off target or toxicity effects. Finally, using a flow cytometry assay to differentiate intracellular parasites from extracellular parasites attached to the erythrocyte surface, we show that DPAP3 is involved in the initial attachment of parasites to the red blood cell surface. Overall, this study establishes the presence of a DPAP3-dependent invasion pathway in malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lehmann
- Chemical Biology Approaches to Malaria Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Ser Ying Tan
- Chemical Biology Approaches to Malaria Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura E. de Vries
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ilaria Russo
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mateo I. Sanchez
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel E. Goldberg
- Departments of Molecular Microbiology and Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Edgar Deu
- Chemical Biology Approaches to Malaria Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
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27
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McGovern OL, Rivera-Cuevas Y, Kannan G, Narwold AJ, Carruthers VB. Intersection of endocytic and exocytic systems in Toxoplasma gondii. Traffic 2018; 19:336-353. [PMID: 29437275 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Host cytosolic proteins are endocytosed by Toxoplasma gondii and degraded in its lysosome-like compartment, the vacuolar compartment (VAC), but the dynamics and route of endocytic trafficking remain undefined. Conserved endocytic components and plant-like features suggest T. gondii endocytic trafficking involves transit through early and late endosome-like compartments (ELCs) and potentially the trans-Golgi network (TGN) as in plants. However, exocytic trafficking to regulated secretory organelles, micronemes and rhoptries, also proceeds through ELCs and requires classical endocytic components, including a dynamin-related protein, DrpB. Here, we show that host cytosolic proteins are endocytosed within 7 minutes post-invasion, trafficked through ELCs en route to the VAC, and degraded within 30 minutes. We could not definitively interpret if ingested protein is trafficked through the TGN. We also found that parasites ingest material from the host cytosol throughout the parasite cell cycle. Ingested host proteins colocalize with immature microneme proteins, proM2AP and proMIC5, in transit to the micronemes, but not with the immature rhoptry protein proRON4, indicating that endocytic trafficking of ingested protein intersects with exocytic trafficking of microneme proteins. Finally, we show that conditional expression of a DrpB dominant negative mutant increases T. gondii ingestion of host-derived proteins, suggesting that DrpB is not required for parasite endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia L McGovern
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Geetha Kannan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Andrew J Narwold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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28
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Dogga SK, Mukherjee B, Jacot D, Kockmann T, Molino L, Hammoudi PM, Hartkoorn RC, Hehl AB, Soldati-Favre D. A druggable secretory protein maturase of Toxoplasma essential for invasion and egress. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28898199 PMCID: PMC5595437 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Micronemes and rhoptries are specialized secretory organelles that deploy their contents at the apical tip of apicomplexan parasites in a regulated manner. The secretory proteins participate in motility, invasion, and egress and are subjected to proteolytic maturation prior to organellar storage and discharge. Here we establish that Toxoplasma gondii aspartyl protease 3 (ASP3) resides in the endosomal-like compartment and is crucially associated to rhoptry discharge during invasion and to host cell plasma membrane lysis during egress. A comparison of the N-terminome, by terminal amine isotopic labelling of substrates between wild type and ASP3 depleted parasites identified microneme and rhoptry proteins as repertoire of ASP3 substrates. The role of ASP3 as a maturase for previously described and newly identified secretory proteins is confirmed in vivo and in vitro. An antimalarial compound based on a hydroxyethylamine scaffold interrupts the lytic cycle of T. gondii at submicromolar concentration by targeting ASP3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar Dogga
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Budhaditya Mukherjee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kockmann
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Molino
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Mehdi Hammoudi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ruben C Hartkoorn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Chemical Biology of Antibiotics, Center for Infection and Immunity, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR8204, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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29
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Marugan-Hernandez V, Long E, Blake D, Crouch C, Tomley F. Eimeria tenella protein trafficking: differential regulation of secretion versus surface tethering during the life cycle. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4557. [PMID: 28676667 PMCID: PMC5496917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04049-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Eimeria spp. are intracellular parasites that have a major impact on poultry. Effective live vaccines are available and the development of reverse genetic technologies has raised the prospect of using Eimeria spp. as recombinant vectors to express additional immunoprotective antigens. To study the ability of Eimeria to secrete foreign antigens or display them on the surface of the sporozoite, transiently transfected populations of E. tenella expressing the fluorescent protein mCherry, linked to endogenous signal peptide (SP) and glycophosphatidylinositol-anchor (GPI) sequences, were examined. The SP from microneme protein EtMIC2 (SP2) allowed efficient trafficking of mCherry to cytoplasmic vesicles and following the C-terminal addition of a GPI-anchor (from surface antigen EtSAG1) mCherry was expressed on the sporozoite surface. In stable transgenic populations, mCherry fused to SP2 was secreted into the sporocyst cavity of the oocysts and after excystation, secretion was detected in culture supernatants but not into the parasitophorous vacuole after invasion. When the GPI was incorporated, mCherry was observed on the sporozites surface and in the supernatant of invading sporozoites. The proven secretion and surface exposure of mCherry suggests that antigen fusions with SP2 and GPI of EtSAG1 may be promising candidates to examine induction of protective immunity against heterologous pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Marugan-Hernandez
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, UK.
| | - E Long
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - D Blake
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - C Crouch
- MSD Animal Health, Walton Manor, Milton Keynes, MK7 7AJ, UK
| | - F Tomley
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, UK
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30
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Venugopal K, Werkmeister E, Barois N, Saliou JM, Poncet A, Huot L, Sindikubwabo F, Hakimi MA, Langsley G, Lafont F, Marion S. Dual role of the Toxoplasma gondii clathrin adaptor AP1 in the sorting of rhoptry and microneme proteins and in parasite division. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006331. [PMID: 28430827 PMCID: PMC5415223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii possesses a highly polarized secretory system, which efficiently assembles de novo micronemes and rhoptries during parasite replication. These apical secretory organelles release their contents into host cells promoting parasite invasion and survival. Using a CreLox-based inducible knock-out strategy and the ddFKBP over-expression system, we unraveled novel functions of the clathrin adaptor complex TgAP1. First, our data indicate that AP1 in T. gondii likely functions as a conserved heterotetrameric complex composed of the four subunits γ, β, μ1, σ1 and interacts with known regulators of clathrin-mediated vesicular budding such as the unique ENTH-domain containing protein, which we named Epsin-like protein (TgEpsL). Disruption of the μ1 subunit resulted in the mis-sorting of microneme proteins at the level of the Trans-Golgi-Network (TGN). Furthermore, we demonstrated that TgAP1 regulates rhoptry biogenesis by activating rhoptry protein exit from the TGN, but also participates in the post-Golgi maturation process of preROP compartments into apically anchored club-shaped mature organelles. For this latter activity, our data indicate a specific functional relationship between TgAP1 and the Rab5A-positive endosome-like compartment. In addition, we unraveled an original role for TgAP1 in the regulation of parasite division. APμ1-depleted parasites undergo normal daughter cell budding and basal complex assembly but fail to segregate at the end of cytokinesis. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises a large group of obligate intracellular parasites of wide human and agricultural significance. Most notable are Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, and Toxoplasma gondii, one of the most common human parasites, responsible for disease of the developing fetus and immune-compromised individuals. Apicomplexa are characterized by the presence of an apical complex consisting of secretory organelles named micronemes (MIC) and rhoptries (ROP). MIC and ROP proteins, released upon host cell recognition, are essential for host cell invasion and parasite survival. After invasion, these organelles are neo-synthesized at each parasite replication cycle. In our study, we demonstrate a crucial role for the T. gondii clathrin adaptor complex AP1 in the vesicular transport of neo-synthesized MIC and ROP proteins, thereby regulating mature apical organelle formation. In addition, we unravel an original role for TgAP1 in the late stages of the parasite division process during daughter cell segregation. Therefore, our study provides new insights into key regulatory mechanisms of the vesicular trafficking system essential for host invasion and intracellular survival of Toxoplasma gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Venugopal
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Elisabeth Werkmeister
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Barois
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Michel Saliou
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Anais Poncet
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Ludovic Huot
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Fabien Sindikubwabo
- IAB, Team Host-pathogen interactions & immunity to infection, Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, France
| | - Mohamed Ali Hakimi
- IAB, Team Host-pathogen interactions & immunity to infection, Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, France
| | - Gordon Langsley
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire Comparative des Apicomplexes, Faculté de Médicine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, France. Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Frank Lafont
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Sabrina Marion
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
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Liu Q, Li FC, Zhou CX, Zhu XQ. Research advances in interactions related to Toxoplasma gondii microneme proteins. Exp Parasitol 2017; 176:89-98. [PMID: 28286325 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii microneme proteins (TgMICs), secreted by micronemes upon contact with host cells, are reported to play important roles in multiple stages of the T. gondii life cycle, including parasite motility, invasion, intracellular survival, and egress from host cells. Meanwhile, during these processes, TgMICs participate in many protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate interactions, such as undergoing proteolytic maturation, binding to aldolase, engaging the host cell receptors and forming the moving junction (MJ), relying on different types of ectodomains, transmembrane (TM) domains and cytoplasmic domains (CDs). In this review, we summarize the research advances in protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate interactions related to TgMICs, and their intimate associations with corresponding biological processes during T. gondii infection, which will contribute to an improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of T. gondii infection, and provide a basis for developing effective control strategies against T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- 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; College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, PR 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, Gansu Province 730046, PR China.
| | - Chun-Xue Zhou
- 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; National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, 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; College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410128, PR China.
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32
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Klug D, Frischknecht F. Motility precedes egress of malaria parasites from oocysts. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28115054 PMCID: PMC5262382 DOI: 10.7554/elife.19157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is transmitted when an infected Anopheles mosquito deposits Plasmodium sporozoites in the skin during a bite. Sporozoites are formed within oocysts at the mosquito midgut wall and are released into the hemolymph, from where they invade the salivary glands and are subsequently transmitted to the vertebrate host. We found that a thrombospondin-repeat containing sporozoite-specific protein named thrombospondin-releated protein 1 (TRP1) is important for oocyst egress and salivary gland invasion, and hence for the transmission of malaria. We imaged the release of sporozoites from oocysts in situ, which was preceded by active motility. Parasites lacking TRP1 failed to migrate within oocysts and did not egress, suggesting that TRP1 is a vital component of the events that precede intra-oocyst motility and subsequently sporozoite egress and salivary gland invasion. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19157.001 Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by certain types of mosquito. The parasite lives in different organs within its vertebrate animal and insect hosts and to cope with these different environments it has a complex life cycle with several highly specialized life stages. To move from an infected mosquito into vertebrates the parasite produces spore-like cells called sporozoites that are able to enter different tissues and move very fast. These cells develop inside parasite-made structures called oocysts, which form at the stomach wall of the mosquito. After emerging from the oocyst, sporozoites float through the mosquito’s circulatory system and eventually enter the salivary glands where they can be transmitted to vertebrates when the mosquito bites. Efforts to develop malaria treatments and vaccines have focused on understanding the parasite’s life cycle and identifying ways to control or eradicate key stages. Most researchers focus on the stage where the parasite is living in the vertebrate and actively causing disease, while the events in the mosquito are less intensely investigated. While several parasite proteins have been shown to be important for the release of sporozoites from oocysts, the molecular events leading to this release have not yet been fully resolved. Klug and Frischknecht used time-lapse microscopy to film the release of the sporozoites of a malaria parasite known as Plasmodium berghei. The experiments show that the sporozoites can leave oocysts in several different ways. Furthermore, Klug and Frischknecht identified a new parasite protein named TRP1 that is essential for the sporozoites to leave oocysts and invade the salivary glands. Sporozoites lacking TRP1 were not able to move and they were unable to leave the oocyst or invade the salivary glands. Klug and Frischknecht propose a new working model of the molecular events that govern sporozoite release in which TRP1 is required for sporozoites to move prior to their exit from oocysts. In the future, using the same techniques to analyze genetically modified parasites will help to reveal more details about sporozoite release. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19157.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Klug
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
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33
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Nguyen HM, El Hajj H, El Hajj R, Tawil N, Berry L, Lebrun M, Bordat Y, Besteiro S. Toxoplasma gondii
autophagy-related protein ATG9 is crucial for the survival of parasites in their host. Cell Microbiol 2017; 19. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hoa Mai Nguyen
- DIMNP-UMR 5235 CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Faculty of Medicine; American University of Beirut; Beirut Lebanon
| | - Rana El Hajj
- Faculty of Medicine; American University of Beirut; Beirut Lebanon
| | - Nadim Tawil
- Faculty of Medicine; American University of Beirut; Beirut Lebanon
| | - Laurence Berry
- DIMNP-UMR 5235 CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- DIMNP-UMR 5235 CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Yann Bordat
- DIMNP-UMR 5235 CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
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34
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A Critical Role for Toxoplasma gondii Vacuolar Protein Sorting VPS9 in Secretory Organelle Biogenesis and Host Infection. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38842. [PMID: 27966671 PMCID: PMC5155228 DOI: 10.1038/srep38842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate sorting of proteins to the three types of parasite-specific secretory organelles namely rhoptry, microneme and dense granule in Toxoplasma gondii is crucial for successful host cell invasion by this obligate intracellular parasite. Despite its tiny body architecture and limited trafficking machinery, T. gondii relies heavily on transport of vesicles containing proteins, lipids and important virulence-like factors that are delivered to these secretory organelles. However, our understanding on how trafficking of vesicles operates in the parasite is still limited. Here, we show that the T. gondii vacuolar protein sorting 9 (TgVps9), has guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity towards Rab5a and is crucial for sorting of proteins destined to secretory organelles. Our results illuminate features of TgVps9 protein as a key trafficking facilitator that regulates protein maturation, secretory organelle formation and secretion, thereby ensuring a primary role in host infection by T. gondii.
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35
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Jimenez-Ruiz E, Morlon-Guyot J, Daher W, Meissner M. Vacuolar protein sorting mechanisms in apicomplexan parasites. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 209:18-25. [PMID: 26844642 PMCID: PMC5154328 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The phylum Apicomplexa comprises more than 5000 species including pathogens of clinical and economical importance. These obligate intracellular parasites possess a highly complex endomembrane system to build amongst others three morphologically distinct secretory organelles: rhoptries, micronemes and dense granules. Proteins released by these organelles are essential for invasion and hijacking of the host cell. Due to the complexity of the internal organization of these parasites, a wide panoply of trafficking factors was expected to be required for the correct sorting of proteins towards the various organelles. However, Toxoplasma gondii and other apicomplexan parasites contain only a core set of these factors and several of the vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) homologues found in most eukaryotes have been lost in this phylum. In this review, we will summarise our current knowledge about the role of trafficking complexes in T. gondii, highlighting recent studies focused on complexes formed by VPS proteins. We also present a novel, hypothetical model, suggesting the recycling of parasite membrane and micronemal proteins.
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36
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Klinger CM, Ramirez-Macias I, Herman EK, Turkewitz AP, Field MC, Dacks JB. Resolving the homology-function relationship through comparative genomics of membrane-trafficking machinery and parasite cell biology. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 209:88-103. [PMID: 27444378 PMCID: PMC5140719 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
With advances in DNA sequencing technology, it is increasingly common and tractable to informatically look for genes of interest in the genomic databases of parasitic organisms and infer cellular states. Assignment of a putative gene function based on homology to functionally characterized genes in other organisms, though powerful, relies on the implicit assumption of functional homology, i.e. that orthology indicates conserved function. Eukaryotes reveal a dazzling array of cellular features and structural organization, suggesting a concomitant diversity in their underlying molecular machinery. Significantly, examples of novel functions for pre-existing or new paralogues are not uncommon. Do these examples undermine the basic assumption of functional homology, especially in parasitic protists, which are often highly derived? Here we examine the extent to which functional homology exists between organisms spanning the eukaryotic lineage. By comparing membrane trafficking proteins between parasitic protists and traditional model organisms, where direct functional evidence is available, we find that function is indeed largely conserved between orthologues, albeit with significant adaptation arising from the unique biological features within each lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christen M Klinger
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Emily K Herman
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Aaron P Turkewitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark C Field
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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37
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Presence of an isoform of H+-pyrophosphatase located in the alveolar sacs of a scuticociliate parasite of turbot: physiological consequences. Parasitology 2016; 143:576-87. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015001997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYH+-pyrophosphatases (H+-PPases) are integral membrane proteins that couple pyrophosphate energy to an electrochemical gradient across biological membranes and promote the acidification of cellular compartments. Eukaryotic organisms, essentially plants and protozoan parasites, contain various types of H+-PPases associated with vacuoles, plasma membrane and acidic Ca+2storage organelles called acidocalcisomes. We used Lysotracker Red DND-99 staining to identify two acidic cellular compartments in trophozoites of the marine scuticociliate parasitePhilasterides dicentrarchi: the phagocytic vacuoles and the alveolar sacs. The membranes of these compartments also contain H+-PPase, which may promote acidification of these cell structures. We also demonstrated for the first time that theP. dicentrarchiH+-PPase has two isoforms: H+-PPase 1 and 2. Isoform 2, which is probably generated by splicing, is located in the membranes of the alveolar sacs and has an amino acid motif recognized by the H+-PPase-specific antibody PABHK. The amino acid sequences of different isolates of this ciliate are highly conserved. Gene and protein expression in this isoform are significantly regulated by variations in salinity, indicating a possible physiological role of this enzyme and the alveolar sacs in osmoregulation and salt tolerance inP. dicentrarchi.
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38
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Wang Y, Yin H. Research advances in microneme protein 3 of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:384. [PMID: 26194005 PMCID: PMC4509771 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1001-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. It has extensive host populations and is prevalent globally; T. gondii infection can cause a zoonotic parasitic disease. Microneme protein 3 (MIC3) is a secreted protein that is expressed in all stages of the T. gondii life cycle. It has strong immunoreactivity and plays an important role in the recognition, adhesion and invasion of host cells by T. gondii. This article reviews the molecular structure of MIC3, its role in the invasion of host cells by parasites, its relationship with parasite virulence, and its induction of immune protection to lay a solid foundation for an in-depth study of potential diagnostic agents and vaccines for preventing toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, China.
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39
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Li W, Liu J, Wang J, Fu Y, Nan H, Liu Q. Identification and characterization of a microneme protein (NcMIC6) in Neospora caninum. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2893-902. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4490-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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40
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Morlon‐Guyot J, Pastore S, Berry L, Lebrun M, Daher W. Toxoplasma gondii
Vps11, a subunit of
HOPS
and
CORVET
tethering complexes, is essential for the biogenesis of secretory organelles. Cell Microbiol 2015; 17:1157-78. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Morlon‐Guyot
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS Université Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Sandra Pastore
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS Université Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Laurence Berry
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS Université Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS Université Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Wassim Daher
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS Université Montpellier Montpellier France
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41
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Kaderi Kibria KM, Rawat K, Klinger CM, Datta G, Panchal M, Singh S, Iyer GR, Kaur I, Sharma V, Dacks JB, Mohmmed A, Malhotra P. A role for adaptor protein complex 1 in protein targeting to rhoptry organelles in Plasmodium falciparum. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2015; 1853:699-710. [PMID: 25573429 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2014.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum possesses sophisticated systems of protein secretion to modulate host cell invasion and remodeling. In the present study, we provide insights into the function of the AP-1 complex in P. falciparum. We utilized GFP fusion constructs for live cell imaging, as well as fixed parasites in immunofluorescence analysis, to study adaptor protein mu1 (Pfμ1) mediated protein trafficking in P. falciparum. In trophozoites Pfμ1 showed similar dynamic localization to that of several Golgi/ER markers, indicating Golgi/ER localization. Treatment of transgenic parasites with Brefeldin A altered the localization of Golgi-associated Pfμ1, supporting the localization studies. Co-localization studies showed considerable overlap of Pfμ1 with the resident rhoptry proteins, rhoptry associated protein 1 (RAP1) and Cytoadherence linked asexual gene 3.1 (Clag3.1) in schizont stage. Immunoprecipitation experiments with Pfμ1 and PfRAP1 revealed an interaction, which may be mediated through an intermediate transmembrane cargo receptor. A specific role for Pfμ1 in trafficking was suggested by treatment with AlF4, which resulted in a shift to a predominantly ER-associated compartment and consequent decrease in co-localization with the Golgi marker GRASP. Together, these results suggest a role for the AP-1 complex in rhoptry protein trafficking in P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Kaderi Kibria
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Khushboo Rawat
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Christen M Klinger
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gaurav Datta
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Manoj Panchal
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Gayatri R Iyer
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Inderjeet Kaur
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Veena Sharma
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Banasthali-304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Asif Mohmmed
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India.
| | - Pawan Malhotra
- Malaria Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India.
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42
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Huynh MH, Liu B, Henry M, Liew L, Matthews SJ, Carruthers VB. Structural basis of Toxoplasma gondii MIC2-associated protein interaction with MIC2. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:1432-41. [PMID: 25411252 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.613646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii parasites must actively invade host cells to propagate. Secretory microneme proteins have been shown to be important for both gliding motility and active invasion. MIC2-M2AP is a protein complex that is essential for productive motility and rapid invasion by binding to host cell surface receptors. To investigate the architecture of the MIC2 and M2AP complex, we identified the minimal domains sufficient for interaction and solved the NMR solution structure of the globular domain of M2AP. We found that M2AP adopts a modified galectin fold similar to the C-terminal domain of another microneme protein, MIC1. NMR and immunoprecipitation analyses implicated hydrophobic residues on one face of the M2AP galectin fold in binding to the membrane proximal sixth thrombospondin type I repeat domain of MIC2. Our findings provide a second example of a galectin fold adapted for microneme protein-protein interactions and suggest a conserved strategy for the assembly and folding of diverse protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- My-Hang Huynh
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 and
| | - Bing Liu
- the Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maud Henry
- the Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Lloyd Liew
- the Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Matthews
- the Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 and
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Vesicles bearing Toxoplasma apicoplast membrane proteins persist following loss of the relict plastid or Golgi body disruption. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112096. [PMID: 25369183 PMCID: PMC4219833 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and malaria parasites contain a unique and essential relict plastid called the apicoplast. Most apicoplast proteins are encoded in the nucleus and are transported to the organelle via the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Three trafficking routes have been proposed for apicoplast membrane proteins: (i) vesicular trafficking from the ER to the Golgi and then to the apicoplast, (ii) contiguity between the ER membrane and the apicoplast allowing direct flow of proteins, and (iii) vesicular transport directly from the ER to the apicoplast. Previously, we identified a set of membrane proteins of the T. gondii apicoplast which were also detected in large vesicles near the organelle. Data presented here show that the large vesicles bearing apicoplast membrane proteins are not the major carriers of luminal proteins. The vesicles continue to appear in parasites which have lost their plastid due to mis-segregation, indicating that the vesicles are not derived from the apicoplast. To test for a role of the Golgi body in vesicle formation, parasites were treated with brefeldin A or transiently transfected with a dominant-negative mutant of Sar1, a GTPase required for ER to Golgi trafficking. The immunofluorescence patterns showed little change. These findings were confirmed using stable transfectants, which expressed the toxic dominant-negative sar1 following Cre-loxP mediated promoter juxtaposition. Our data support the hypothesis that the large vesicles do not mediate the trafficking of luminal proteins to the apicoplast. The results further show that the large vesicles bearing apicoplast membrane proteins continue to be observed in the absence of Golgi and plastid function. These data raise the possibility that the apicoplast proteome is generated by two novel ER to plastid trafficking pathways, plus the small set of proteins encoded by the apicoplast genome.
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44
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A conserved apicomplexan microneme protein contributes to Toxoplasma gondii invasion and virulence. Infect Immun 2014; 82:4358-68. [PMID: 25092910 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01877-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii critically relies on host cell invasion during infection. Proteins secreted from the apical micronemes are central components for host cell recognition, invasion, egress, and virulence. Although previous work established that the sporozoite protein with an altered thrombospondin repeat (SPATR) is a micronemal protein conserved in other apicomplexan parasites, including Plasmodium, Neospora, and Eimeria, no genetic evidence of its contribution to invasion has been reported. SPATR contains a predicted epidermal growth factor domain and two thrombospondin type 1 repeats, implying a role in host cell recognition. In this study, we assess the contribution of T. gondii SPATR (TgSPATR) to T. gondii invasion by genetically ablating it and restoring its expression by genetic complementation. Δspatr parasites were ~50% reduced in invasion compared to parental strains, a defect that was reversed in the complemented strain. In mouse virulence assays, Δspatr parasites were significantly attenuated, with ~20% of mice surviving infection. Given the conservation of this protein among the Apicomplexa, we assessed whether the Plasmodium falciparum SPATR ortholog (PfSPATR) could complement the absence of the TgSPATR. Although PfSPATR showed correct micronemal localization, it did not reverse the invasion deficiency of Δspatr parasites, because of an apparent failure in secretion. Overall, the results suggest that TgSPATR contributes to invasion and virulence, findings that have implications for the many genera and life stages of apicomplexans that express SPATR.
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Abstract
The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii resides within a nonfusogenic vacuole during intracellular replication. Although the limiting membrane of this vacuole provides a protective barrier to acidification and degradation by lysosomal hydrolases, it also physically segregates the parasite from the host cytosol. Accordingly, it has been suggested that T. gondii acquires material from the host via membrane channels or transporters. The ability of the parasite to internalize macromolecules via endocytosis during intracellular replication has not been tested. Here, we show that Toxoplasma ingests host cytosolic proteins and digests them using cathepsin L and other proteases within its endolysosomal system. Ingestion was reduced in mutant parasites lacking an intravacuolar network of tubular membranes, implicating this apparatus as a possible conduit for trafficking to the parasite. Genetic ablation of proteins involved in the pathway is associated with diminished parasite replication and virulence attenuation. We show that both virulent type I and avirulent type II strain parasites ingest and digest host-derived protein, indicating that the pathway is not restricted to highly virulent strains. The findings provide the first definitive evidence that T. gondii internalizes proteins from the host during intracellular residence and suggest that protein digestion within the endolysosomal system of the parasite contributes to toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii causes significant disease in individuals with weak immune systems. Treatment options for this infection have drawbacks, creating a need to understand how this parasite survives within the cells it infects as a prelude to interrupting its survival strategies. This study reveals that T. gondii internalizes proteins from the cytoplasm of the cells it infects and degrades such proteins within a digestive compartment within the parasite. Disruption of proteins involved in the pathway reduced parasite replication and lessened disease severity. The identification of a novel parasite ingestion pathway opens opportunities to interfere with this process and improve the outcome of infection.
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Abstract
Micronemal protein 2 (MIC2) is the key adhesin that supports gliding motility and host cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii. With a von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domain and six thrombospondin repeat domains (TSR1-6) in its ectodomain, MIC2 connects to the parasite actomyosin system through its cytoplasmic tail. MIC2-associated protein (M2AP) binds noncovalently to the MIC2 ectodomain. MIC2 and M2AP are stored in micronemes as proforms. We find that the MIC2-M2AP ectodomain complex is a highly elongated 1:1 monomer with M2AP bound to the TSR6 domain. Crystal structures of N-terminal fragments containing the VWA and TSR1 domains for proMIC2 and MIC2 reveal a closed conformation of the VWA domain and how it associates with the TSR1 domain. A long, proline-rich, disulfide-bonded pigtail loop in TSR1 overlaps the VWA domain. Mannose α-C-linked to Trp-276 in TSR1 has an unusual (1)C4 chair conformation. The MIC2 VWA domain includes a mobile α5-helix and a 22-residue disordered region containing two disulfide bonds in place of an α6-helix. A hydrophobic residue in the prodomain binds to a pocket adjacent to the α7-helix that pistons in opening of the VWA domain to a putative high-affinity state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaojie Song
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115; and
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Timothy A. Springer
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115; and
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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Evolutionary repurposing of endosomal systems for apical organelle biogenesis in Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Parasitol 2014; 44:133-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Revised: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Tomavo S, Slomianny C, Meissner M, Carruthers VB. Protein trafficking through the endosomal system prepares intracellular parasites for a home invasion. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003629. [PMID: 24204248 PMCID: PMC3812028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma (toxoplasmosis) and Plasmodium (malaria) use unique secretory organelles for migration, cell invasion, manipulation of host cell functions, and cell egress. In particular, the apical secretory micronemes and rhoptries of apicomplexan parasites are essential for successful host infection. New findings reveal that the contents of these organelles, which are transported through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi, also require the parasite endosome-like system to access their respective organelles. In this review, we discuss recent findings that demonstrate that these parasites reduced their endosomal system and modified classical regulators of this pathway for the biogenesis of apical organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislas Tomavo
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U 1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Christian Slomianny
- Laboratory of Cell Physiology, INSERM U 1003, Université Lille Nord de France, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Lille, France
| | - Markus Meissner
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Child MA, Harris PK, Collins CR, Withers-Martinez C, Yeoh S, Blackman MJ. Molecular determinants for subcellular trafficking of the malarial sheddase PfSUB2. Traffic 2013; 14:1053-64. [PMID: 23834729 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The malaria merozoite invades erythrocytes in the vertebrate host. Iterative rounds of asexual intraerythrocytic replication result in disease. Proteases play pivotal roles in erythrocyte invasion, but little is understood about their mode of action. The Plasmodium falciparum malaria merozoite surface sheddase, PfSUB2, is one such poorly characterized example. We have examined the molecular determinants that underlie the mechanisms by which PfSUB2 is trafficked initially to invasion-associated apical organelles (micronemes) and then across the surface of the free merozoite. We show that authentic promoter activity is important for correct localization of PfSUB2, likely requiring canonical features within the intergenic region 5' of the pfsub2 locus. We further demonstrate that trafficking of PfSUB2 beyond an early compartment in the secretory pathway requires autocatalytic protease activity. Finally, we show that the PfSUB2 transmembrane domain is required for microneme targeting, while the cytoplasmic domain is essential for surface translocation of the protease to the parasite posterior following discharge from micronemes. The interplay of pre- and post-translational regulatory elements that coordinate subcellular trafficking of PfSUB2 provides the parasite with exquisite control over enzyme-substrate interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Child
- Division of Parasitology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK; Present address: Pathology Department, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, USA
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50
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Jackson AJ, Clucas C, Mamczur NJ, Ferguson DJ, Meissner M. Toxoplasma gondii Syntaxin 6 is required for vesicular transport between endosomal-like compartments and the Golgi complex. Traffic 2013; 14:1166-81. [PMID: 23962112 PMCID: PMC3963449 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Revised: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexans are obligate intracellular parasites that invade the host cell in an active process that relies on unique secretory organelles (micronemes, rhoptries and dense granules) localized at the apical tip of these highly polarized eukaryotes. In order for the contents of these specialized organelles to reach their final destination, these proteins are sorted post-Golgi and it has been speculated that they pass through endosomal-like compartments (ELCs), where they undergo maturation. Here, we characterize a Toxoplasma gondii homologue of Syntaxin 6 (TgStx6), a well-established marker for the early endosomes and trans Golgi network (TGN) in diverse eukaryotes. Indeed, TgStx6 appears to have a role in the retrograde transport between ELCs, the TGN and the Golgi, because overexpression of TgStx6 results in the development of abnormally shaped parasites with expanded ELCs, a fragmented Golgi and a defect in inner membrane complex maturation. Interestingly, other organelles such as the micronemes, rhoptries and the apicoplast are not affected, establishing the TGN as a major sorting compartment where several transport pathways intersect. It therefore appears that Toxoplasma has retained a plant-like secretory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Jackson
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
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