Ca²⁺ entry at the plasma membrane and uptake by acidic stores is regulated by the activity of the V-H⁺ -ATPase in Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: Ca²⁺ is a universal intracellular signal that regulates many cellular functions. In Toxoplasma gondii, the controlled influx of extracellular and intracellular Ca²⁺ into the cytosol initiates a signaling cascade that promotes pathogenic processes like tissue destruction and dissemination. In this work, we studied the role of proton transport in cytosolic Ca²⁺ homeostasis and the initiation of Ca²⁺ signaling. We used a T. gondii mutant of the V-H⁺ -ATPase, a pump previously shown to transport protons to the extracellular medium, and to control intracellular pH and membrane potential and we show that proton gradients are important for maintaining resting cytosolic Ca²⁺ at physiological levels and for Ca²⁺ influx. Pr

SUBMITTER: Stasic AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9142151 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature