Characterization of the apicoplast-localized enzyme TgUroD in Toxoplasma gondii reveals a key role of the apicoplast in heme biosynthesis.

ABSTRACT: Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii possess an unusual heme biosynthesis pathway whose enzymes localize to the mitochondrion, cytosol, or apicoplast, a nonphotosynthetic plastid present in most apicomplexans. To characterize the involvement of the apicoplast in the T. gondii heme biosynthesis pathway, we investigated the role of the apicoplast-localized enzyme uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase (TgUroD). We found that TgUroD knockdown impaired parasite proliferation, decreased free heme levels in the parasite, and decreased the abundance of heme-containing c-type cytochrome proteins in the parasite mitochondrion. We validated the effects of heme loss on mitochondrial cytochromes by knocking down cytochrome c/c ₁ heme

SUBMITTER: Tjhin ET 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7008375 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature