The motility of a human parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is regulated by a novel lysine methyltransferase.

ABSTRACT: Protozoa in the phylum Apicomplexa are a large group of obligate intracellular parasites. Toxoplasma gondii and other apicomplexan parasites, such as Plasmodium falciparum, cause diseases by reiterating their lytic cycle, comprising host cell invasion, parasite replication, and parasite egress. The successful completion of the lytic cycle requires that the parasite senses changes in its environment and switches between the non-motile (for intracellular replication) and motile (for invasion and egress) states appropriately. Although the signaling pathway that regulates the motile state switch is critical to the pathogenesis of the diseases caused by these parasites, it is not well understood. Here we report a previously unknown mechanism of regulating the motility activation in Toxoplasma,

SUBMITTER: Heaslip AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3164638 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature