RNG2 tethers the conoid to the apical polar ring in Toxoplasma gondii to enable parasite motility and invasion.

ABSTRACT: The conoid is a dynamic, tubulin-based structure conserved across the Apicomplexa that undergoes extrusion during egress, gliding motility, and invasion in Toxoplasma gondii. This organelle traverses the apical polar ring (APR) in response to calcium waves and plays a critical role in controlling parasite motility. While the actomyosin-dependent extrusion of the conoid is beginning to be elucidated, the mechanism by which it remains apically anchored to the APR is still unclear. RNG2, a protein localized to both the conoid and the APR, has emerged as a strong candidate for mediating this connection. Biochemical analysis revealed that RNG2 is an unstable protein, undergoing extensive proteolytic cleavage both in the parasite and in heterologous expression systems. Its biochemical properties

SUBMITTER: Haase R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12671742 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature