Forward targeting of Toxoplasma gondii proproteins to the micronemes involves conserved aliphatic amino acids.

ABSTRACT: Like other apicomplexan parasites, Toxoplasma gondii actively invades host cells using a combination of secretory proteins and an acto-myosin motor system. Micronemes are the first set of proteins secreted during invasion that play an essential role in host cell entry. Many microneme proteins (MICs) function in protein complexes, and each complex contains at least one protein that displays a cleavable propeptide. Although MIC propeptides have been implicated in forward targeting to micronemes, the specific amino acids involved have not been identified. It was also not known if the propeptide has a general function in MICs trafficking in T. gondii and other apicomplexans. Here we show that propeptide domains are extensively interchangeable between T. gondii MICs and also with that of Eimeri

SUBMITTER: Gaji RY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3115430 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature