Genetic Ablation of a Female-Specific Apetala 2 Transcription Factor Blocks Oocyst Shedding in Cryptosporidium parvum.

ABSTRACT: The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading global cause of diarrheal disease, and the infection poses a particularly grave threat to young children and those with weakened immune function. Infection occurs by ingestion of meiotic spores called oocysts, and transmission relies on fecal shedding of new oocysts. The entire life cycle thus occurs in a single host and features asexual as well as sexual forms of replication. Here, we identify and locus tag two Apetala 2-type (AP2) transcription factors and demonstrate that they are exclusively expressed in male and female gametes, respectively. To enable functional studies of essential genes in Cryptosporidium parvum, we develop and validate a small-molecule-inducible gene excision system, which we apply to the female factor A

SUBMITTER: Tandel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10233709 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature