Constitutive upregulation of transcription factors underlies permissive bradyzoite differentiation in a natural isolate of Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites play a critical role in pathology due to their long-term persistence in intermediate hosts and their potential to reactivate, resulting in severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective treatment for eliminating bradyzoites. Hence, better in vitro models of T. gondii bradyzoite development would facilitate identification of therapeutic targets for bradyzoites. Herein, we characterized a natural isolate of T. gondii, called Tg68, which showed slower in vitro replication of tachyzoites, and permissive bradyzoite development under stress conditions in vitro. Transcriptional analysis revealed constitutive expression in Tg68 tachyzoites of the key regulators of bradyzoite development incl

SUBMITTER: Xia J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11389365 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature