The Vacuolar Zinc Transporter TgZnT Protects Toxoplasma gondii from Zinc Toxicity.

ABSTRACT: Zinc (Zn²⁺) is the most abundant biological metal ion aside from iron and is an essential element in numerous biological systems, acting as a cofactor for a large number of enzymes and regulatory proteins. Zn²⁺ must be tightly regulated, as both the deficiency and overabundance of intracellular free Zn²⁺ are harmful to cells. Zn²⁺ transporters (ZnTs) play important functions in cells by reducing intracellular Zn²⁺ levels by transporting the ion out of the cytoplasm. We characterized a Toxoplasma gondii gene (TgGT1_251630, TgZnT), which is annotated as the only ZnT family Zn²⁺ transporter in T. gondii TgZnT localizes to novel vesicles that fuse with the plant-like vacuole (PLV), an endosome-like organelle. Mutan

SUBMITTER: Chasen NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6531880 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature