Live imaging of the Cryptosporidium parvum life cycle reveals direct development of male and female gametes from type I meronts.

ABSTRACT: Cryptosporidium is a leading infectious cause of diarrhea around the world associated with waterborne outbreaks, community spread, or zoonotic transmission. The parasite has significant impact on early childhood mortality, and infection is both a consequence and cause of malnutrition and stunting. There is currently no vaccine, and treatment options are very limited. Cryptosporidium is a member of the Apicomplexa, and, as typical for this, protist phylum relies on asexual and sexual reproduction. In contrast to other Apicomplexa, including the malaria parasite Plasmodium, the entire Cryptosporidium life cycle unfolds in a single host in less than 3 days. Here, we establish a model to image life cycle progression in living cells and observe, track, and compare nuclear division of asexual an

SUBMITTER: English ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9015140 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature