Microneme rhomboid protease TgROM1 is required for efficient intracellular growth of Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: Rhomboids are serine proteases that cleave their substrates within the transmembrane domain. Toxoplasma gondii contains six rhomboids that are expressed in different life cycle stages and localized to different cellular compartments. Toxoplasma rhomboid protein 1 (TgROM1) has previously been shown to be active in vitro, and the orthologue in Plasmodium falciparum processes the essential microneme protein AMA1 in a heterologous system. We investigated the role of TgROM1 to determine its role during in vitro growth of T. gondii. TgROM1 was localized in the secretory pathway of the parasite, including the Golgi apparatus and micronemes, which contain adhesive proteins involved in invasion of host cells. However, unlike other micronemal proteins, TgROM1 was not released onto the parasite surfa

SUBMITTER: Brossier F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2292621 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature