1
|
Zheng XN, Li TT, Elsheikha HM, Wang M, Sun LX, Wu XJ, Fu BQ, Zhu XQ, Wang JL. GRA47 is important for the morphology and permeability of the parasitophorous vacuole in Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Parasitol 2024:S0020-7519(24)00135-8. [PMID: 38936501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Establishing an intact intracellular parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that enables efficient nutrient uptake and protein trafficking is essential for the survival and proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii. Although the PV membrane (PVM)-localized dense granule protein 17 (GRA17) and GRA23 mediate the permeability of the PVM to small molecules, including nutrient uptake and excretion of metabolic by-products, the molecular mechanism by which T. gondii acquires nutrients remains unclear. In this study, we showed that the secreted protein GRA47 contributed to normal PV morphology, PVM permeability to small molecules, growth, and virulence in T. gondii. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated potential interaction of GRA47 with GRA72, and the loss of GRA72 affected PV morphology, parasite growth and infectivity. To investigate the biological relationship among GRA47, GRA72, GRA17 and GRA23, attempts were made to construct strains with double gene deletion and overexpressing strains. Only Δgra23Δgra72 was successfully constructed. This strain exhibited a significant increase in the proportion of aberrant PVs compared with the Δgra23 strain. Overexpressing one of the three related GRAs partially rescued PVs with aberrant morphology in Δgra47, Δgra72 and Δgra17, while the expression of the Plasmodium falciparum PVM protein PfExp2, an ortholog of GRA17 and GRA23, fully rescued the PV morphological defect in all three Δgra strains. These results suggest that these three GRA proteins may not be functionally redundant but rather work in different ways to regulate nutrient acquisition. These findings highlight the versatility of the nutrient uptake mechanisms in T. gondii, which may contribute to the parasite's remarkable ability to grow in different cellular niches in a very broad range of hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Nan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Ting Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610213, People's Republic of China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Meng Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610213, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Xiu Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610213, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Jing Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Bao-Quan Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610213, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jin-Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610213, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Swapna LS, Stevens GC, Sardinha-Silva A, Hu LZ, Brand V, Fusca DD, Wan C, Xiong X, Boyle JP, Grigg ME, Emili A, Parkinson J. ToxoNet: A high confidence map of protein-protein interactions in Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012208. [PMID: 38900844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a major food borne pathogen that is highly prevalent in the global population. The majority of the T. gondii proteome remains uncharacterized and the organization of proteins into complexes is unclear. To overcome this knowledge gap, we used a biochemical fractionation strategy to predict interactions by correlation profiling. To overcome the deficit of high-quality training data in non-model organisms, we complemented a supervised machine learning strategy, with an unsupervised approach, based on similarity network fusion. The resulting combined high confidence network, ToxoNet, comprises 2,063 interactions connecting 652 proteins. Clustering identifies 93 protein complexes. We identified clusters enriched in mitochondrial machinery that include previously uncharacterized proteins that likely represent novel adaptations to oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, complexes enriched in proteins localized to secretory organelles and the inner membrane complex, predict additional novel components representing novel targets for detailed functional characterization. We present ToxoNet as a publicly available resource with the expectation that it will help drive future hypotheses within the research community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Grant C Stevens
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aline Sardinha-Silva
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lucas Zhongming Hu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Verena Brand
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D Fusca
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cuihong Wan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xuejian Xiong
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jon P Boyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew Emili
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Parkinson
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Herneisen AL, Peters ML, Smith TA, Shortt E, Lourido S. SPARK regulates AGC kinases central to the Toxoplasma gondii asexual cycle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.30.564746. [PMID: 37961644 PMCID: PMC10634940 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites balance proliferation, persistence, and spread in their metazoan hosts. AGC kinases, such as PKG, PKA, and the PDK1 ortholog SPARK, integrate environmental signals to toggle parasites between replicative and motile life stages. Recent studies have cataloged pathways downstream of apicomplexan PKG and PKA; however, less is known about the global integration of AGC kinase signaling cascades. Here, conditional genetics coupled to unbiased proteomics demonstrates that SPARK complexes with an elongin-like protein to regulate the stability of PKA and PKG in the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii. Defects attributed to SPARK depletion develop after PKG and PKA are down-regulated. Parasites lacking SPARK differentiate into the chronic form of infection, which may arise from reduced activity of a coccidian-specific PKA ortholog. This work delineates the signaling topology of AGC kinases that together control transitions within the asexual cycle of this important family of parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice L. Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Michelle L. Peters
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Tyler A. Smith
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Emily Shortt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lüder CGK. IFNs in host defence and parasite immune evasion during Toxoplasma gondii infections. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1356216. [PMID: 38384452 PMCID: PMC10879624 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1356216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are a family of cytokines with diverse functions in host resistance to pathogens and in immune regulation. Type II IFN, i.e. IFN-γ, is widely recognized as a major mediator of resistance to intracellular pathogens, including the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. More recently, IFN-α/β, i.e. type I IFNs, and IFN-λ (type III IFN) have been identified to also play important roles during T. gondii infections. This parasite is a widespread pathogen of humans and animals, and it is a model organism to study cell-mediated immune responses to intracellular infection. Its success depends, among other factors, on the ability to counteract the IFN system, both at the level of IFN-mediated gene expression and at the level of IFN-regulated effector molecules. Here, I review recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying IFN-mediated host resistance and immune regulation during T. gondii infections. I also discuss those mechanisms that T. gondii has evolved to efficiently evade IFN-mediated immunity. Knowledge of these fascinating host-parasite interactions and their underlying signalling machineries is crucial for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis, and it might also identify potential targets of parasite-directed or host-directed supportive therapies to combat the parasite more effectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carsten G. K. Lüder
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Seizova S, Ferrel A, Boothroyd J, Tonkin CJ. Toxoplasma protein export and effector function. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:17-28. [PMID: 38172621 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01563-z] [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: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled eukaryotic parasite with a considerable host range that must invade the cells of warm-blooded hosts to survive and replicate. The challenges and opportunities that such a strategy represent have been met by the evolution of effectors that are delivered into host cells, counter host defences and co-opt host cell functions for their own purposes. These effectors are delivered in two waves using distinct machinery for each. In this Review, we focus on understanding the architecture of these protein-export systems and how their protein cargo is recognized and selected. We discuss the recent findings on the role that host manipulation has in latent Toxoplasma infections. We also discuss how these recent findings compare to protein export in the related Plasmodium spp. (the causative agent of malaria) and how this can inform our understanding of host manipulation in the larger Apicomplexa phylum and its evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Seizova
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Abel Ferrel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Christopher J Tonkin
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Henry B, Sibley LD, Rosenberg A. A Combination of Four Nuclear Targeted Effectors Protects Toxoplasma Against Interferon Gamma Driven Human Host Cell Death During Acute Infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.24.573224. [PMID: 38234811 PMCID: PMC10793417 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.24.573224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
In both mice and humans, Type II interferon-gamma (IFNγ) is crucial for regulation of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection, during acute or chronic phases. To thwart this defense, T. gondii secretes protein effectors hindering the hosťs immune response. For example, T. gondii relies on the MYR translocon complex to deploy soluble dense granule effectors (GRAs) into the host cell cytosol or nucleus. Recent genome-wide loss-of-function screens in IFNγ-primed primary human fibroblasts identified MYR translocon components as crucial for parasite resistance against IFNγ driven vacuole clearance. However, these screens did not pinpoint specific MYR-dependent GRA proteins responsible for IFNγ signaling blockade, suggesting potential functional redundancy. Our study reveals that T. gondii depends on the MYR translocon complex to prevent host cell death and parasite premature egress in human cells stimulated with IFNγ postinfection, a unique phenotype observed in various human cell lines but not in murine cells. Intriguingly, inhibiting parasite egress did not prevent host cell death, indicating this mechanism is distinct from those described previously. Genome-wide loss-of-function screens uncovered TgIST, GRA16, GRA24, and GRA28 as effectors necessary for a complete block of IFNγ response. GRA24 and GRA28 directly influenced IFNγ driven transcription, GRA24's action depended on its interaction with p38 MAPK, while GRA28 disrupted histone acetyltransferase activity of CBP/p300. Given the intricate nature of the immune response to T. gondii, it appears that the parasite has evolved equally elaborate mechanisms to subvert IFNγ signaling, extending beyond direct interference with the JAK/STAT1 pathway, to encompass other signaling pathways as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Henry
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center for Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - L. David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alex Rosenberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center for Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Thind AC, Mota CM, Gonçalves APN, Sha J, Wohlschlegel JA, Mineo TWP, Bradley PJ. The Toxoplasma gondii effector GRA83 modulates the host's innate immune response to regulate parasite infection. mSphere 2023; 8:e0026323. [PMID: 37768053 PMCID: PMC10597413 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00263-23] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii's propensity to infect its host and cause disease is highly dependent on its ability to modulate host cell functions. One of the strategies the parasite uses to accomplish this is via the export of effector proteins from the secretory dense granules. Dense granule (GRA) proteins are known to play roles in nutrient acquisition, host cell cycle manipulation, and immune regulation. Here, we characterize a novel dense granule protein named GRA83, which localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Disruption of GRA83 results in increased virulence, weight loss, and parasitemia during the acute infection, as well as a marked increase in the cyst burden during the chronic infection. This increased parasitemia was associated with an accumulation of inflammatory infiltrates in tissues in both acute and chronic infections. Murine macrophages infected with ∆gra83 tachyzoites produced less interleukin-12 (IL-12) in vitro, which was confirmed with reduced IL-12 and interferon-gamma in vivo. This dysregulation of cytokines correlates with reduced nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) complex. While GRA15 similarly regulates NF-κB, infection with ∆gra83/∆gra15 parasites did not further reduce p65 translocation to the host cell nucleus, suggesting these GRAs function in converging pathways. We also used proximity labeling experiments to reveal candidate GRA83 interacting T. gondii-derived partners. Taken together, this work reveals a novel effector that stimulates the innate immune response, enabling the host to limit the parasite burden. Importance Toxoplasma gondii poses a significant public health concern as it is recognized as one of the leading foodborne pathogens in the United States. Infection with the parasite can cause congenital defects in neonates, life-threatening complications in immunosuppressed patients, and ocular disease. Specialized secretory organelles, including the dense granules, play an important role in the parasite's ability to efficiently invade and regulate components of the host's infection response machinery to limit parasite clearance and establish an acute infection. Toxoplasma's ability to avoid early clearance, while also successfully infecting the host long enough to establish a persistent chronic infection, is crucial in allowing for its transmission to a new host. While multiple GRAs directly modulate host signaling pathways, they do so in various ways highlighting the parasite's diverse arsenal of effectors that govern infection. Understanding how parasite-derived effectors harness host functions to evade defenses yet ensure a robust infection is important for understanding the complexity of the pathogen's tightly regulated infection. In this study, we characterize a novel secreted protein named GRA83 that stimulates the host cell's response to limit infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amara C. Thind
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Caroline M. Mota
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula N. Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jihui Sha
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - James A. Wohlschlegel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tiago W. P. Mineo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Peter J. Bradley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Butterworth S, Kordova K, Chandrasekaran S, Thomas KK, Torelli F, Lockyer EJ, Edwards A, Goldstone R, Koshy AA, Treeck M. High-throughput identification of Toxoplasma gondii effector proteins that target host cell transcription. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1748-1762.e8. [PMID: 37827122 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens and other endosymbionts reprogram host cell transcription to suppress immune responses and recalibrate biosynthetic pathways. This reprogramming is critical in determining the outcome of infection or colonization. We combine pooled CRISPR knockout screening with dual host-microbe single-cell RNA sequencing, a method we term dual perturb-seq, to identify the molecular mediators of these transcriptional interactions. Applying dual perturb-seq to the intracellular pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, we are able to identify previously uncharacterized effector proteins and directly infer their function from the transcriptomic data. We show that TgGRA59 contributes to the export of other effector proteins from the parasite into the host cell and identify an effector, TgSOS1, that is necessary for sustained host STAT6 signaling and thereby contributes to parasite immune evasion and persistence. Together, this work demonstrates a tool that can be broadly adapted to interrogate host-microbe transcriptional interactions and reveal mechanisms of infection and immune evasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Butterworth
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Kristina Kordova
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | | | - Francesca Torelli
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Eloise J Lockyer
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Amelia Edwards
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Robert Goldstone
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Anita A Koshy
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tachibana Y, Hashizaki E, Sasai M, Yamamoto M. Host genetics highlights IFN-γ-dependent Toxoplasma genes encoding secreted and non-secreted virulence factors in in vivo CRISPR screens. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112592. [PMID: 37269286 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Secreted virulence factors of Toxoplasma to survive in immune-competent hosts have been extensively explored by classical genetics and in vivo CRISPR screen methods, whereas their requirements in immune-deficient hosts are incompletely understood. Those of non-secreted virulence factors are further enigmatic. Here we develop an in vivo CRISPR screen system to enrich not only secreted but also non-secreted virulence factors in virulent Toxoplasma-infected C57BL/6 mice. Notably, combined usage of immune-deficient Ifngr1-/- mice highlights genes encoding various non-secreted proteins as well as well-known effectors such as ROP5, ROP18, GRA12, and GRA45 as interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-dependent virulence genes. The screen results suggest a role of GRA72 for normal GRA17/GRA23 localization and the IFN-γ-dependent role of UFMylation-related genes. Collectively, our study demonstrates that host genetics can complement in vivo CRISPR screens to highlight genes encoding IFN-γ-dependent secreted and non-secreted virulence factors in Toxoplasma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Tachibana
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Emi Hashizaki
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miwa Sasai
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Department of Immunoparasitology, Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; Department of Immunoparasitology, Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|