Proteomic analysis of fractionated Toxoplasma oocysts reveals clues to their environmental resistance.

ABSTRACT: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that is unique in its ability to infect a broad range of birds and mammals, including humans, leading to an extremely high worldwide prevalence and distribution. This work focuses on the environmentally resistant oocyst, which is the product of sexual replication in felids and an important source of human infection. Due to the difficulty in producing and working with oocysts, relatively little is known about how this stage is able to resist extreme environmental stresses and how they initiate a new infection, once ingested. To fill this gap, the proteome of the wall and sporocyst/sporozoite fractions of mature, sporulated oocysts were characterized using one-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by LC-MS/MS on trypsin-digested pept

SUBMITTER: Fritz HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3261165 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature