Life cycle progression and sexual development of the apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum.

ABSTRACT: The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading global cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and an important contributor to early childhood mortality. Currently, there are no fully effective treatments or vaccines available. Parasite transmission occurs through ingestion of oocysts, through either direct contact or consumption of contaminated water or food. Oocysts are meiotic spores and the product of parasite sex. Cryptosporidium has a single-host life cycle in which both asexual and sexual processes occur in the intestine of infected hosts. Here, we genetically engineered strains of Cryptosporidium to make life cycle progression and parasite sex tractable. We derive reporter strains to follow parasite development in culture and in infected mice and define the genes that orchestrate

SUBMITTER: Tandel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6877471 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature