biostudies-literatureZeng JMAustralian Research Council6787https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7991638biostudies-literatureUnknown11(1)Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum parasites both extrude L-lactate, a byproduct of glycolysis. The P. falciparum Formate Nitrite Transporter, PfFNT, mediates L-lactate transport across the plasma membrane of P. falciparum parasites and has been validated as a drug target. The T. gondii genome encodes three FNTs that have been shown to transport L-lactate, and which are proposed to be the targets of several inhibitors of T. gondii proliferation. Here, we show that each of the TgFNTs localize to the T. gondii plasma membrane and are capable of transporting L-lactate across it, with TgFNT1 making the primary contribution to L-lactate transport during the disease-causing lytic cycle of the parasite. We use the Xenopus oocyte expression system to provide direct measurements of L-lactaScientific reportsIdentifying the major lactate transporter of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites.PMC7991638DP200100483Discovery Projects DP150102883Discovery Early Career Researcher Award DE160101035Future Fellowship 1053082Lehane AMMartin REHapuarachchi SVShafik SHZeng JMvan Dooren GGKirk KfalseIdentifying the major lactate transporter of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites.Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum parasites both extrude L-lactate, a byproduct of glycolysis. The P. falciparum Formate Nitrite Transporter, PfFNT, mediates L-lactate transport across the plasma membrane of P. falciparum parasites and has been validated as a drug target. The T. gondii genome encodes three FNTs that have been shown to transport L-lactate, and which are proposed to be the targets of several inhibitors of T. gondii proliferation. Here, we show that each of the TgFNTs localize to the T. gondii plasma membrane and are capable of transporting L-lactate across it, with TgFNT1 making the primary contribution to L-lactate transport during the disease-causing lytic cycle of the parasite. We use the Xenopus oocyte expression system to provide direct measurements of L-lacta2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2025-04-05T15:25:07.272Z2025-04-05T15:25:07.272ZS-EPMC79916383376265710.1038/s41598-021-86204-3