Complete in vitro life cycle of Trypanosoma congolense: development of genetic tools.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Animal African trypanosomosis, a disease mainly caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma congolense, is a major constraint to livestock productivity and has a significant impact in the developing countries of Africa. RNA interference (RNAi) has been used to study gene function and identify drug and vaccine targets in a variety of organisms including trypanosomes. However, trypanosome RNAi studies have mainly been conducted in T. brucei, as a model for human infection, largely ignoring livestock parasites of economical importance such as T. congolense, which displays different pathogenesis profiles. The whole T. congolense life cycle can be completed in vitro, but this attractive model displayed important limitations: (i) genetic tools were currently limited to insect

SUBMITTER: Coustou V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2830455 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature