Ceramide biosynthesis is critical for establishment of the intracellular niche of Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: Toxoplasma gondii possesses sphingolipid synthesis capabilities and is equipped to salvage lipids from its host. The contribution of these two routes of lipid acquisition during parasite development is unclear. As part of a complete ceramide synthesis pathway, T. gondii expresses two serine palmitoyltransferases (TgSPT1 and TgSPT2) and a dihydroceramide desaturase. After deletion of these genes, we determine their role in parasite development in vitro and in vivo during acute and chronic infection. Detailed phenotyping through lipidomic approaches reveal a perturbed sphingolipidome in these mutants, characterized by a drastic reduction in ceramides and ceramide phosphoethanolamines but not sphingomyelins. Critically, parasites lacking TgSPT1 display decreased fitness, marked by reduced gro

SUBMITTER: Nyonda MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9396527 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature