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Cell cycle-dependent, intercellular transmission of Toxoplasma gondii is accompanied by marked changes in parasite gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Intracellular microbes have evolved efficient strategies for transitioning from one cell to another in a process termed intercellular transmission. Here we show that host cell transmission of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is closely tied to specific cell cycle distributions, with egress and reinvasion occurring most proficiently by parasites in the G1 phase. We also reveal that Toxoplasma undergoes marked changes in mRNA expression when transitioning from the extracellular environment to its intracellular niche. These mRNA level changes reflect a modal switch from expression of proteins involved in invasion, motility and signal transduction in extracellular parasites to expression of metabolic and DNA replication proteins in intracellular parasites. Host cell binding and signalling associated with the discharge of parasite secretory proteins was not sufficient to induce this switch in gene expression, suggesting that the regulatory mechanisms responsible are tied to the establishment of the intracellular environment. The genes whose expression increased after parasite invasion belong to a progressive cascade known to underlie the parasite division cycle indicating that the unique relationship between the G1 phase and invasion effectively synchronizes short-term population growth. This work provides new insight into how this highly successful parasite competently transits from cell to cell.

ORGANISM(S): Toxoplasma gondii

PROVIDER: GSE20480 | GEO | 2010/12/27

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA125167

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite whose rapid lytic replication cycles define its pathogenicity. We identified a temperature sensitive growth mutant, FV-P6, which irreversibly arrests before the middle of the G1 stage of the tachyzoite cell cycle. This arrest is caused by a point mutation in a gene conserved across eukaryotes, Cactin, whose product localizes to the nucleus. To elucidate the role of TgCactin we performed genome-wide expression profiling of FV-P6 mutant parasites at 35C and 40C, as well as FV-P6 complemented with a wild-type Cactin encoding cosmid (TOXO93 or comp) and as a pseudo-diploid wild-type line encoding both the wild-type and mutant Cactin locus (S4.2), also at both temperatures. Besides the expected G1 expression profile, many genes associated with the extracellular state as well as with the bradyzoite cyst stage were identified. Consistent with these profiles were the expression of AP2 transcription factors typically associated with extracellular and bradyzoite stage parasites. This suggests a role for TgCactin in control of gene expression. Since TgCactin does not contain any functionally defined domains we reasoned TgCactin exerts its function through interactions with other proteins. In support of this model we demonstrated that TgCactin is present in a protein complex and can oligomerize. Taken together, these results suggest that TgCactin acts as a pivotal protein potentially regulating gene expression at several transition points in parasite development. The role of Cactin in G1 progression of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites was assessed by expression profiling a temperature senstive mutant of Cactin at both the permissive (35C) as well as the restrictive (40C) temperature. Controls under the same temperature conditions inlcude the mutant line complemented with a wild-type Cactin allele encoded on a cosmid and a wild-type parasite line expressing an additional, mutant allele of Cactin (pseudo-diploid line).

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Cell cycle-dependent, intercellular transmission of Toxoplasma gondii is accompanied by marked changes in parasite gene expression.

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