Disruption of the expression of a non-coding RNA significantly impairs cellular differentiation in Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an important human and veterinary pathogen. Asexual replication of T. gondii in humans and intermediate hosts is characterized by two forms: rapidly growing "tachyzoites" and latent "bradyzoite" tissue cysts. Tachyzoites are responsible for acute illness and congenital neurological birth defects, while the more slowly dividing bradyzoite form can remain latent within the tissues for many years, representing a threat to immunocompromised patients. We have developed a genetic screen to identify regulatory genes that control parasite differentiation and have isolated mutants that fail to convert to bradyzoites. One of these mutants has an insertion disrupting a locus that encodes a developmentally regulated non-coding RNA transcript, named Tg-ncRNA-

SUBMITTER: Patil V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3565285 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature