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Tell I Puig A, Soldati-Favre D. Roles of the tubulin-based cytoskeleton in the Toxoplasma gondii apical complex. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:401-415. [PMID: 38531711 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.02.010] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) play a vital role as key components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises eukaryotic unicellular parasitic organisms defined by the presence of an apical complex which consists of specialized secretory organelles and tubulin-based cytoskeletal elements. One apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is an omnipresent opportunistic pathogen with significant medical and veterinary implications. To ensure successful infection and widespread dissemination, T. gondii heavily relies on the tubulin structures present in the apical complex. Recent advances in high-resolution imaging, coupled with reverse genetics, have offered deeper insights into the composition, functionality, and dynamics of these tubulin-based structures. The apicomplexan tubulins differ from those of their mammalian hosts, endowing them with unique attributes and susceptibility to specific classes of inhibitory compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Tell I Puig
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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2
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Yang J, Long S, Hide G, Lun ZR, Lai DH. Apicomplexa micropore: history, function, and formation. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:416-426. [PMID: 38637184 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.03.008] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The micropore, a mysterious structure found in apicomplexan species, was recently shown to be essential for nutrient acquisition in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. However, the differences between the micropores of these two parasites questions the nature of a general apicomplexan micropore structure and whether the formation process model from Plasmodium can be applied to other apicomplexans. We analyzed the literature on different apicomplexan micropores and found that T. gondii probably harbors a more representative micropore type than the more widely studied ones in Plasmodium. Using recent knowledge of the Kelch 13 (K13) protein interactome and gene depletion phenotypes in the T. gondii micropore, we propose a model of micropore formation, thus enriching our wider understanding of micropore protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiong Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Shaojun Long
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P. R. China
| | - Geoff Hide
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Centre, School of Science, Engineering, and Environment, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
| | - Zhao-Rong Lun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - De-Hua Lai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China.
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3
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Padilla LFA, Murray JM, Hu K. The initiation and early development of the tubulin-containing cytoskeleton in the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar37. [PMID: 38170577 PMCID: PMC10916856 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-11-0418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The tubulin-containing cytoskeleton of the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii includes several distinct structures: the conoid, formed of 14 ribbon-like tubulin polymers, and the array of 22 cortical microtubules (MTs) rooted in the apical polar ring. Here we analyze the structure of developing daughter parasites using both 3D-SIM and expansion microscopy. Cortical MTs and the conoid start to develop almost simultaneously, but from distinct precursors near the centrioles. Cortical MTs are initiated in a fixed sequence, starting around the periphery of a short arc that extends to become a complete circle. The conoid also develops from an open arc into a full circle, with a fixed spatial relationship to the centrioles. The patterning of the MT array starts from a "blueprint" with ∼five-fold symmetry, switching to 22-fold rotational symmetry in the final product, revealing a major structural rearrangement during daughter growth. The number of MT is essentially invariant in the wild-type array, but is perturbed by the loss of some structural components of the apical polar ring. This study provides insights into the development of tubulin-containing structures that diverge from conventional models, insights that are critical for understanding the evolutionary paths leading to construction and divergence of cytoskeletal frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa F. Arias Padilla
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
| | - John M. Murray
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
| | - Ke Hu
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
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4
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Dos Santos Pacheco N, Tell I Puig A, Guérin A, Martinez M, Maco B, Tosetti N, Delgado-Betancourt E, Lunghi M, Striepen B, Chang YW, Soldati-Favre D. Sustained rhoptry docking and discharge requires Toxoplasma gondii intraconoidal microtubule-associated proteins. Nat Commun 2024; 15:379. [PMID: 38191574 PMCID: PMC10774369 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44631-y] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In Apicomplexa, rhoptry discharge is essential for invasion and involves an apical vesicle (AV) docking one or two rhoptries to a macromolecular secretory apparatus. Toxoplasma gondii is armed with 10-12 rhoptries and 5-6 microtubule-associated vesicles (MVs) presumably for iterative rhoptry discharge. Here, we have addressed the localization and functional significance of two intraconoidal microtubule (ICMT)-associated proteins instrumental for invasion. Mechanistically, depletion of ICMAP2 leads to a dissociation of the ICMTs, their detachment from the conoid and dispersion of MVs and rhoptries. ICMAP3 exists in two isoforms that contribute to the control of the ICMTs length and the docking of the two rhoptries at the AV, respectively. This study illuminates the central role ICMTs play in scaffolding the discharge of multiple rhoptries. This process is instrumental for virulence in the mouse model of infection and in addition promotes sterile protection against T. gondii via the release of key effectors inducing immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dos Santos Pacheco
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Albert Tell I Puig
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Amandine Guérin
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bohumil Maco
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolò Tosetti
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Estefanía Delgado-Betancourt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Lunghi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute of Structural Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Arias Padilla LF, Murray JM, Hu K. The initiation and early development of the tubulin-containing cytoskeleton in the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.03.565597. [PMID: 38106158 PMCID: PMC10723254 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The tubulin-containing cytoskeleton of the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii includes several distinct structures: the conoid, formed of 14 ribbon-like tubulin polymers, and the array of 22 cortical microtubules (MTs) rooted in the apical polar ring. Here we analyze the structure of developing daughter parasites using both 3D-SIM and expansion microscopy. Cortical MTs and the conoid start to develop almost simultaneously, but from distinct precursors near the centrioles. Cortical MTs are initiated in a fixed sequence, starting around the periphery of a short arc that extends to become a complete circle. The conoid also develops from an open arc into a full circle, with a fixed spatial relationship to the centrioles. The patterning of the MT array starts from a "blueprint" with ∼ 5-fold symmetry, switching to 22-fold rotational symmetry in the final product, revealing a major structural rearrangement during daughter growth. The number of MT is essentially invariant in the wild-type array, but is perturbed by the loss of some structural components of the apical polar ring. This study provides insights into the development of tubulin-containing structures that diverge from conventional models, insights that are critical for understanding the evolutionary paths leading to construction and divergence of cytoskeletal frameworks.
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Richtová J, Bazalová O, Horák A, Tomčala A, Gonepogu VG, Oborník M, Doležel D. Circadian rhythms and circadian clock gene homologs of complex alga Chromera velia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1226027. [PMID: 38143581 PMCID: PMC10739334 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1226027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Most organisms on Earth are affected by periodic changes in their environment. The circadian clock is an endogenous device that synchronizes behavior, physiology, or biochemical processes to an approximately 24-hour cycle, allowing organisms to anticipate the periodic changes of day and night. Although circadian clocks are widespread in organisms, the actual molecular components differ remarkably among the clocks of plants, animals, fungi, and prokaryotes. Chromera velia is the closest known photosynthetic relative of apicomplexan parasites. Formation of its motile stage, zoospores, has been described as associated with the light part of the day. We examined the effects on the periodic release of the zoospores under different light conditions and investigated the influence of the spectral composition on zoosporogenesis. We performed a genomic search for homologs of known circadian clock genes. Our results demonstrate the presence of an almost 24-hour free-running cycle of zoosporogenesis. We also identified the blue light spectra as the essential compound for zoosporogenesis. Further, we developed a new and effective method for zoospore separation from the culture and estimated the average motility speed and lifespan of the C. velia zoospores. Our genomic search identified six cryptochrome-like genes, two genes possibly related to Arabidopsis thaliana CCA/LHY, whereas no homolog of an animal, cyanobacterial, or fungal circadian clock gene was found. Our results suggest that C. velia has a functional circadian clock, probably based mainly on a yet undefined mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Richtová
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Olga Bazalová
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Aleš Horák
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Aleš Tomčala
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia, Vodňany, Czechia
| | - Vijaya Geetha Gonepogu
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - David Doležel
- Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Gui L, O'Shaughnessy WJ, Cai K, Reetz E, Reese ML, Nicastro D. Cryo-tomography reveals rigid-body motion and organization of apicomplexan invasion machinery. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1775. [PMID: 36997532 PMCID: PMC10063558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37327-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The apical complex is a specialized collection of cytoskeletal and secretory machinery in apicomplexan parasites, which include the pathogens that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis. Its structure and mechanism of motion are poorly understood. We used cryo-FIB-milling and cryo-electron tomography to visualize the 3D-structure of the apical complex in its protruded and retracted states. Averages of conoid-fibers revealed their polarity and unusual nine-protofilament arrangement with associated proteins connecting and likely stabilizing the fibers. Neither the structure of the conoid-fibers nor the architecture of the spiral-shaped conoid complex change during protrusion or retraction. Thus, the conoid moves as a rigid body, and is not spring-like and compressible, as previously suggested. Instead, the apical-polar-rings (APR), previously considered rigid, dilate during conoid protrusion. We identified actin-like filaments connecting the conoid and APR during protrusion, suggesting a role during conoid movements. Furthermore, our data capture the parasites in the act of secretion during conoid protrusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Gui
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - William J O'Shaughnessy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kai Cai
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Evan Reetz
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Michael L Reese
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Daniela Nicastro
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Gubbels MJ, Ferguson DJP, Saha S, Romano JD, Chavan S, Primo VA, Michaud C, Coppens I, Engelberg K. Toxoplasma gondii’s Basal Complex: The Other Apicomplexan Business End Is Multifunctional. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:882166. [PMID: 35573773 PMCID: PMC9103881 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.882166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Apicomplexa are famously named for their apical complex, a constellation of organelles at their apical end dedicated to invasion of their host cells. In contrast, at the other end of the cell, the basal complex (BC) has been overshadowed since it is much less prominent and specific functions were not immediately obvious. However, in the past decade a staggering array of functions have been associated with the BC and strides have been made in understanding its structure. Here, these collective insights are supplemented with new data to provide an overview of the understanding of the BC in Toxoplasma gondii. The emerging picture is that the BC is a dynamic and multifunctional complex, with a series of (putative) functions. The BC has multiple roles in cell division: it is the site where building blocks are added to the cytoskeleton scaffold; it exerts a two-step stretch and constriction mechanism as contractile ring; and it is key in organelle division. Furthermore, the BC has numerous putative roles in ‘import’, such as the recycling of mother cell remnants, the acquisition of host-derived vesicles, possibly the uptake of lipids derived from the extracellular medium, and the endocytosis of micronemal proteins. The latter process ties the BC to motility, whereas an additional role in motility is conferred by Myosin C. Furthermore, the BC acts on the assembly and/or function of the intravacuolar network, which may directly or indirectly contribute to the establishment of chronic tissue cysts. Here we provide experimental support for molecules acting in several of these processes and identify several new BC proteins critical to maintaining the cytoplasmic bridge between divided parasites. However, the dispensable nature of many BC components leaves many questions unanswered regarding its function. In conclusion, the BC in T. gondii is a dynamic and multifunctional structure at the posterior end of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Jan Gubbels
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Marc-Jan Gubbels, ; Klemens Engelberg,
| | - David J. P. Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sudeshna Saha
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Julia D. Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Suyog Chavan
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Vincent A. Primo
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Cynthia Michaud
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Klemens Engelberg
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Marc-Jan Gubbels, ; Klemens Engelberg,
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Description of an Enigmatic Alveolate, Platyproteum noduliferae n. sp., and Reconstruction of its Flagellar Apparatus. Protist 2022; 173:125878. [DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2022.125878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Getty TA, Peterson JW, Fujioka H, Walsh AM, Sam-Yellowe TY. Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) Life Cycle: Myzocytosis and Possible Links to the Origin of Intracellular Parasitism. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6030127. [PMID: 34287391 PMCID: PMC8293349 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Colpodella species are free living bi-flagellated protists that prey on algae and bodonids in a process known as myzocytosis. Colpodella species are phylogenetically related to Apicomplexa. We investigated the life cycle of Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) to understand the timing, duration and the transition stages of Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594). Sam-Yellowe’s trichrome stains for light microscopy, confocal and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy was performed to identify cell morphology and determine cross reactivity of Plasmodium species and Toxoplasma gondii specific antibodies against Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) proteins. The ultrastructure of Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The duration of Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) life cycle is thirty-six hours. Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) were most active between 20–28 h. Myzocytosis is initiated by attachment of the Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) pseudo-conoid to the cell surface of Parabodo caudatus, followed by an expansion of microtubules at the attachment site and aspiration of the prey’s cytoplasmic contents. A pre-cyst formed at the conclusion of feeding differentiates into a transient or resting cyst. Both DIC and TEM microscopy identified asynchronous and asymmetric mitosis in Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) cysts. Knowledge of the life cycle and stages of Colpodella sp. (ATCC 50594) will provide insights into the development of intracellular parasitism among the apicomplexa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A. Getty
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; (T.A.G.); (A.M.W.)
| | - John W. Peterson
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA;
| | - Hisashi Fujioka
- Cryo-EM Core, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Aidan M. Walsh
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; (T.A.G.); (A.M.W.)
| | - Tobili Y. Sam-Yellowe
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; (T.A.G.); (A.M.W.)
- Correspondence:
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Dos Santos Pacheco N, Tosetti N, Koreny L, Waller RF, Soldati-Favre D. Evolution, Composition, Assembly, and Function of the Conoid in Apicomplexa. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:688-704. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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12
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O’Shaughnessy WJ, Hu X, Beraki T, McDougal M, Reese ML. Loss of a conserved MAPK causes catastrophic failure in assembly of a specialized cilium-like structure in Toxoplasma gondii. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:881-888. [PMID: 32073987 PMCID: PMC7185968 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-11-0607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are important organizing centers that control diverse cellular processes. Apicomplexan parasites like Toxoplasma gondii have a specialized cilium-like structure called the conoid that organizes the secretory and invasion machinery critical for the parasites' lifestyle. The proteins that initiate the biogenesis of this structure are largely unknown. We identified the Toxoplasma orthologue of the conserved kinase ERK7 as essential to conoid assembly. Parasites in which ERK7 has been depleted lose their conoids late during maturation and are immotile and thus unable to invade new host cells. This is the most severe phenotype to conoid biogenesis yet reported, and is made more striking by the fact that ERK7 is not a conoid protein, as it localizes just basal to the structure. ERK7 has been recently implicated in ciliogenesis in metazoan cells, and our data suggest that this kinase has an ancient and central role in regulating ciliogenesis throughout Eukaryota.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Tsebaot Beraki
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Matthew McDougal
- Department of Microbiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Michael L. Reese
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
- Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
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13
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Leung JM, Nagayasu E, Hwang YC, Liu J, Pierce PG, Phan IQ, Prentice RA, Murray JM, Hu K. A doublecortin-domain protein of Toxoplasma and its orthologues bind to and modify the structure and organization of tubulin polymers. BMC Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:8. [PMID: 32111164 PMCID: PMC7048138 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-020-0249-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TgDCX is a doublecortin-domain protein associated with the conoid fibers, a set of strongly curved non-tubular tubulin-polymers in Toxoplasma. TgDCX deletion impairs conoid structure and parasite invasion. TgDCX contains two tubulin-binding domains: a partial P25α and the DCX/doublecortin domain. Orthologues are found in apicomplexans and their free-living relatives Chromera and Vitrella. RESULTS We report that isolated TgDCX-containing conoid fibers retain their pronounced curvature, but loss of TgDCX destabilizes the fibers. We crystallized and determined the 3D-structure of the DCX-domain, which is similar to those of human doublecortin and well-conserved among TgDCX orthologues. However, the orthologues vary widely in targeting to the conoid in Toxoplasma and in modulating microtubule organization in Xenopus cells. Several orthologues bind to microtubules in Xenopus cells, but only TgDCX generates short, strongly curved microtubule arcs. EM analysis shows microtubules decorated with TgDCX bundled into rafts, often bordered on one edge by a "C"-shaped incomplete tube. A Chromera orthologue closely mimics TgDCX targeting in Toxoplasma and binds to microtubules in Xenopus cells, but does not generate arcs or "C"-shaped tubes, and fails to rescue the defects of the TgDCX-knockout parasite. CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that species-specific features of TgDCX enable it to generate strongly curved tubulin-polymers to support efficient host-cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eiji Nagayasu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yu-Chen Hwang
- Nikon Instruments Inc, Melville, New York, 11747, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Phillip G Pierce
- UCB, and Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110, USA
| | - Isabelle Q Phan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, and Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Robin A Prentice
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, and Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- University of Washington, Brotman Bady Institute, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - John M Murray
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Ke Hu
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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RhopH3, rhoptry gene conserved in the free-living alveolate flagellate Colpodella sp. (Apicomplexa). Eur J Protistol 2019; 71:125637. [PMID: 31689662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2019.125637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated morphological, immunological and molecular characteristics of Colpodella sp. (American Type Culture Collection 50594) in a diprotist culture containing Bodo caudatus as prey using Plasmodium rhoptry specific antibodies and oligonucleotide primers targeting Plasmodium falciparum rhoptry genes. In culture, Colpodella sp. attached to its prey using the apical end with attachment lasting for approximately 20 min while the cytoplasmic contents of the prey were aspirated into the posterior food vacuole of Colpodella sp. Encystment of Colpodella sp. was observed following feeding. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and confocal microscopy using P. falciparum rhoptry specific antibodies showed intense reactivity with cytoplasmic vesicles of Colpodella sp. Bodo caudatus from diprotist and monoprotist (ATCC 30395) cultures showed weak background reactivity. Giemsa staining permitted differentiation of both protists. Genomic DNA isolated from the diprotist culture was used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with oligonucleotide primers targeting the P. falciparum rhoptry genes RhopH3, RhopH1/Clag3.2 and RAMA. Primers targeting exon 7 of the P. falciparum RhopH3 gene amplified an approximately 2 kb DNA fragment from the diprotist DNA template. DNA sequence and BLAST search analysis of the amplified product from diprotist DNA identified the RhopH3 gene demonstrating that the RhopH3 gene is conserved in Colpodella sp.
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15
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Igamberdiev AU. Hyper-restorative non-equilibrium state as a driving force of biological morphogenesis. Biosystems 2018; 173:104-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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16
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A conserved ankyrin repeat-containing protein regulates conoid stability, motility and cell invasion in Toxoplasma gondii. Nat Commun 2017; 8:2236. [PMID: 29269729 PMCID: PMC5740107 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02341-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are typified by an apical complex that contains a unique microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) that organizes the cytoskeleton. In apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, the apical complex includes a spiral cap of tubulin-rich fibers called the conoid. Although described ultrastructurally, the composition and functions of the conoid are largely unknown. Here, we localize 11 previously undescribed apical proteins in T. gondii and identify an essential component named conoid protein hub 1 (CPH1), which is conserved in apicomplexan parasites. CPH1 contains ankyrin repeats that are required for structural integrity of the conoid, parasite motility, and host cell invasion. Proximity labeling and protein interaction network analysis reveal that CPH1 functions as a hub linking key motor and structural proteins that contain intrinsically disordered regions and coiled coil domains. Our findings highlight the importance of essential protein hubs in controlling biological networks of MTOCs in early-branching protozoan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii possess a tubulin-rich structure called the conoid. Here, Long et al. identify a conoid protein that interacts with motor and structural proteins and is required for structural integrity of the conoid, parasite motility, and host cell invasion.
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17
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Vazač J, Füssy Z, Hladová I, Killi S, Oborník M. Ploidy and Number of Chromosomes in the Alveolate Alga Chromera velia. Protist 2017; 169:53-63. [PMID: 29367153 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Chromera velia is an alveolate alga which represents the closest known phototrophic relative to apicomplexan parasites. Although the nuclear, mitochondrial, and plastid genomes of this alga have been sequenced, the number of chromosomes and ploidy of C. velia are unknown. We explored ploidy in the vegetative cell, the predominant stage in cultures of Chromera, using the tyramide signal amplification-fluorescence in situ hybridization (TSA-FISH) in isolated nuclei of C. velia. Probes were derived from three single copy genes coding for 4-diphosphocytidyl-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol (CDP-ME) kinase, 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate (MEcPP) synthase and Topoisomerase II. Our results indicate that the vegetative cell of C. velia is haploid, as each probe produced a single fluorescent signal, although the possibility of diploidy with somatic pairing of homologous chromosomes cannot be completely excluded. Restriction analysis and hybridization with the telomere probe produced eight bands suggesting the presence of four chromosomes in haploid vegetative cells of C. velia. However, when the chromerid-specific telomere probe (TTTAGGG)4 was used for TSA-FISH, we consistently obtained a double signal. This may indicate that the four chromosomes are organized in clusters in interphase nuclei of C. velia, which is a chromosome organization similar to that of their apicomplexan relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vazač
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Hladová
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sireesha Killi
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Algatech, Novohradská 237, Opatovický mlýn, 37901 Třeboň, Czech Republic.
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18
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Nagayasu E, Hwang YC, Liu J, Murray JM, Hu K. Loss of a doublecortin (DCX)-domain protein causes structural defects in a tubulin-based organelle of Toxoplasma gondii and impairs host-cell invasion. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:411-428. [PMID: 27932494 PMCID: PMC5341725 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e16-08-0587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ∼6000 species in phylum Apicomplexa are single-celled obligate intracellular parasites. Their defining characteristic is the apical complex-membranous and cytoskeletal elements at the apical end of the cell that participate in host-cell invasion. The apical complex of Toxoplasma gondii and some other apicomplexans includes a cone-shaped assembly, the conoid, which in T. gondii comprises 14 spirally arranged fibers that are nontubular polymers of tubulin. The tubulin dimers of the conoid fibers make canonical microtubules elsewhere in the same cell, suggesting that nontubulin protein dictates their special arrangement in the conoid fibers. One candidate for this role is TgDCX, which has a doublecortin (DCX) domain and a TPPP/P25-α domain, both of which are known modulators of tubulin polymer structure. Loss of TgDCX radically disrupts the structure of the conoid, severely impairs host-cell invasion, and slows growth. Both the conoid structural defects and the impaired invasion of TgDCX-null parasites are corrected by reintroduction of a TgDCX coding sequence. The nontubular polymeric form of tubulin found in the conoid is not found in the host cell, suggesting that TgDCX may be an attractive target for new parasite-specific chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jun Liu
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - John M Murray
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Ke Hu
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
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Füssy Z, Masařová P, Kručinská J, Esson HJ, Oborník M. Budding of the Alveolate Alga Vitrella brassicaformis Resembles Sexual and Asexual Processes in Apicomplexan Parasites. Protist 2016; 168:80-91. [PMID: 28061382 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ease of cultivation and availability of genomic data promoted intensive research of free-living phototrophic relatives of apicomplexans, i.e. Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis. Chromera and Vitrella differ significantly in their physiology, morphology, phylogenetic position and genomic features, but Vitrella has not gained as much attention. Here we describe two types of Vitrella zoosporangia. One contains zoospores surrounded by roughly structured matter, with an intracytoplasmic axoneme predicted to develop into a mature flagellum upon spore release, similarly to Plasmodium microgametes; in the second type, cells concurrently bud off the center of the sporangium, surrounded by smooth matter, and flagella develop extracellularly. This process of budding is reminiscent of microsporogenesis as seen in Toxoplasma. We suggest one (or both) of these processes generates gamete-like flagellate progeny. Based on live staining, fusion of zoospores does occur in cultures of V. brassicaformis. We failed to find an apical structure similar to the pseudoconoid in any life stage. V. brassicaformis may therefore either represent an ancestral state lacking an apical complex or has lost the apical complex secondarily. We propose that the common ancestor of Apicomplexa and "chrompodellids" exhibited a complex life cycle, which was reduced in chromerids and colpodellids as dictated by their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Füssy
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Petra Masařová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jitka Kručinská
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Heather J Esson
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia; Centre Algatech, Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Třeboň, Czechia.
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20
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Evolution of the microtubular cytoskeleton (flagellar apparatus) in parasitic protists. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 209:26-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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21
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SAS6-like protein in Plasmodium indicates that conoid-associated apical complex proteins persist in invasive stages within the mosquito vector. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28604. [PMID: 27339728 PMCID: PMC4919640 DOI: 10.1038/srep28604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The SAS6-like (SAS6L) protein, a truncated paralogue of the ubiquitous basal body/centriole protein SAS6, has been characterised recently as a flagellum protein in trypanosomatids, but associated with the conoid in apicomplexan Toxoplasma. The conoid has been suggested to derive from flagella parts, but is thought to have been lost from some apicomplexans including the malaria-causing genus Plasmodium. Presence of SAS6L in Plasmodium, therefore, suggested a possible role in flagella assembly in male gametes, the only flagellated stage. Here, we have studied the expression and role of SAS6L throughout the Plasmodium life cycle using the rodent malaria model P. berghei. Contrary to a hypothesised role in flagella, SAS6L was absent during gamete flagellum formation. Instead, SAS6L was restricted to the apical complex in ookinetes and sporozoites, the extracellular invasive stages that develop within the mosquito vector. In these stages SAS6L forms an apical ring, as we show is also the case in Toxoplasma tachyzoites. The SAS6L ring was not apparent in blood-stage invasive merozoites, indicating that the apical complex is differentiated between the different invasive forms. Overall this study indicates that a conoid-associated apical complex protein and ring structure is persistent in Plasmodium in a stage-specific manner.
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22
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Woo YH, Ansari H, Otto TD, Klinger CM, Kolisko M, Michálek J, Saxena A, Shanmugam D, Tayyrov A, Veluchamy A, Ali S, Bernal A, del Campo J, Cihlář J, Flegontov P, Gornik SG, Hajdušková E, Horák A, Janouškovec J, Katris NJ, Mast FD, Miranda-Saavedra D, Mourier T, Naeem R, Nair M, Panigrahi AK, Rawlings ND, Padron-Regalado E, Ramaprasad A, Samad N, Tomčala A, Wilkes J, Neafsey DE, Doerig C, Bowler C, Keeling PJ, Roos DS, Dacks JB, Templeton TJ, Waller RF, Lukeš J, Oborník M, Pain A. Chromerid genomes reveal the evolutionary path from photosynthetic algae to obligate intracellular parasites. eLife 2015; 4:e06974. [PMID: 26175406 PMCID: PMC4501334 DOI: 10.7554/elife.06974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The eukaryotic phylum Apicomplexa encompasses thousands of obligate intracellular parasites of humans and animals with immense socio-economic and health impacts. We sequenced nuclear genomes of Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis, free-living non-parasitic photosynthetic algae closely related to apicomplexans. Proteins from key metabolic pathways and from the endomembrane trafficking systems associated with a free-living lifestyle have been progressively and non-randomly lost during adaptation to parasitism. The free-living ancestor contained a broad repertoire of genes many of which were repurposed for parasitic processes, such as extracellular proteins, components of a motility apparatus, and DNA- and RNA-binding protein families. Based on transcriptome analyses across 36 environmental conditions, Chromera orthologs of apicomplexan invasion-related motility genes were co-regulated with genes encoding the flagellar apparatus, supporting the functional contribution of flagella to the evolution of invasion machinery. This study provides insights into how obligate parasites with diverse life strategies arose from a once free-living phototrophic marine alga. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06974.001 Single-celled parasites cause many severe diseases in humans and animals. The apicomplexans form probably the most successful group of these parasites and include the parasites that cause malaria. Apicomplexans infect a broad range of hosts, including humans, reptiles, birds, and insects, and often have complicated life cycles. For example, the malaria-causing parasites spread by moving from humans to female mosquitoes and then back to humans. Despite significant differences amongst apicomplexans, these single-celled parasites also share a number of features that are not seen in other living species. How and when these features arose remains unclear. It is known from previous work that apicomplexans are closely related to single-celled algae. But unlike apicomplexans, which depend on a host animal to survive, these algae live freely in their environment, often in close association with corals. Woo et al. have now sequenced the genomes of two photosynthetic algae that are thought to be close living relatives of the apicomplexans. These genomes were then compared to each other and to the genomes of other algae and apicomplexans. These comparisons reconfirmed that the two algae that were studied were close relatives of the apicomplexans. Further analyses suggested that thousands of genes were lost as an ancient free-living algae evolved into the apicomplexan ancestor, and further losses occurred as these early parasites evolved into modern species. The lost genes were typically those that are important for free-living organisms, but are either a hindrance to, or not needed in, a parasitic lifestyle. Some of the ancestor's genes, especially those that coded for the building blocks of flagella (structures which free-living algae use to move around), were repurposed in ways that helped the apicomplexans to invade their hosts. Understanding this repurposing process in greater detail will help to identify key molecules in these deadly parasites that could be targeted by drug treatments. It will also offer answers to one of the most fascinating questions in evolutionary biology: how parasites have evolved from free-living organisms. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06974.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong H Woo
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hifzur Ansari
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thomas D Otto
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Martin Kolisko
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jan Michálek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alka Saxena
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Annageldi Tayyrov
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaguraj Veluchamy
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR8197 INSERM U1024, Paris, France
| | - Shahjahan Ali
- Bioscience Core Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Axel Bernal
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Javier del Campo
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jaromír Cihlář
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Flegontov
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Eva Hajdušková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Horák
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Janouškovec
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Fred D Mast
- Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, United States
| | - Diego Miranda-Saavedra
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC/Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tobias Mourier
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Raeece Naeem
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mridul Nair
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aswini K Panigrahi
- Bioscience Core Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Neil D Rawlings
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Eriko Padron-Regalado
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nadira Samad
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Aleš Tomčala
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jon Wilkes
- Wellcome Trust Centre For Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel E Neafsey
- Broad Genome Sequencing and Analysis Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Christian Doerig
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Chris Bowler
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR8197 INSERM U1024, Paris, France
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - David S Roos
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Thomas J Templeton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Ross F Waller
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Arnab Pain
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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Targeting Toxoplasma tubules: tubulin, microtubules, and associated proteins in a human pathogen. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 14:2-12. [PMID: 25380753 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00225-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes serious opportunistic infections, birth defects, and blindness in humans. Microtubules are critically important components of diverse structures that are used throughout the Toxoplasma life cycle. As in other eukaryotes, spindle microtubules are required for chromosome segregation during replication. Additionally, a set of membrane-associated microtubules is essential for the elongated shape of invasive "zoites," and motility follows a spiral trajectory that reflects the path of these microtubules. Toxoplasma zoites also construct an intricate, tubulin-based apical structure, termed the conoid, which is important for host cell invasion and associates with proteins typically found in the flagellar apparatus. Last, microgametes specifically construct a microtubule-containing flagellar axoneme in order to fertilize macrogametes, permitting genetic recombination. The specialized roles of these microtubule populations are mediated by distinct sets of associated proteins. This review summarizes our current understanding of the role of tubulin, microtubule populations, and associated proteins in Toxoplasma; these components are used for both novel and broadly conserved processes that are essential for parasite survival.
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The apical complex provides a regulated gateway for secretion of invasion factors in Toxoplasma. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004074. [PMID: 24743791 PMCID: PMC3990729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The apical complex is the definitive cell structure of phylum Apicomplexa, and is the focus of the events of host cell penetration and the establishment of intracellular parasitism. Despite the importance of this structure, its molecular composition is relatively poorly known and few studies have experimentally tested its functions. We have characterized a novel Toxoplasma gondii protein, RNG2, that is located at the apical polar ring--the common structural element of apical complexes. During cell division, RNG2 is first recruited to centrosomes immediately after their duplication, confirming that assembly of the new apical complex commences as one of the earliest events of cell replication. RNG2 subsequently forms a ring, with the carboxy- and amino-termini anchored to the apical polar ring and mobile conoid, respectively, linking these two structures. Super-resolution microscopy resolves these two termini, and reveals that RNG2 orientation flips during invasion when the conoid is extruded. Inducible knockdown of RNG2 strongly inhibits host cell invasion. Consistent with this, secretion of micronemes is prevented in the absence of RNG2. This block, however, can be fully or partially overcome by exogenous stimulation of calcium or cGMP signaling pathways, respectively, implicating the apical complex directly in these signaling events. RNG2 demonstrates for the first time a role for the apical complex in controlling secretion of invasion factors in this important group of parasites.
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The flagellar contribution to the apical complex: a new tool for the eukaryotic Swiss Army knife? Trends Parasitol 2014; 30:58-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2013.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Revised: 12/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Okamoto N, Keeling PJ. The 3D structure of the apical complex and association with the flagellar apparatus revealed by serial TEM tomography in Psammosa pacifica, a distant relative of the Apicomplexa. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84653. [PMID: 24392150 PMCID: PMC3879320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2013] [Accepted: 11/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The apical complex is one of the defining features of apicomplexan parasites, including the malaria parasite Plasmodium, where it mediates host penetration and invasion. The apical complex is also known in a few related lineages, including several non-parasitic heterotrophs, where it mediates feeding behaviour. The origin of the apical complex is unclear, and one reason for this is that in apicomplexans it exists in only part of the life cycle, and never simultaneously with other major cytoskeletal structures like flagella and basal bodies. Here, we used conventional TEM and serial TEM tomography to reconstruct the three dimensional structure of the apical complex in Psammosa pacifica, a predatory relative of apicomplexans and dinoflagellates that retains the archetype apical complex and the flagellar apparatus simultaneously. The P. pacifica apical complex is associated with the gullet and consists of the pseudoconoid, micronemes, and electron dense vesicles. The pseudoconoid is a convex sheet consisting of eight short microtubules, plus a band made up of microtubules that originate from the flagellar apparatus. The flagellar apparatus consists of three microtubular roots. One of the microtubular roots attached to the posterior basal body is connected to bypassing microtubular strands, which are themselves connected to the extension of the pseudoconoid. These complex connections where the apical complex is an extension of the flagellar apparatus, reflect the ancestral state of both, dating back to the common ancestor of apicaomplexans and dinoflagellates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Okamoto
- The Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patrick J. Keeling
- The Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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