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Defining energetic homeostasis in Toxoplasma gondii
Author(s) -
Murphy Robert D,
Dhara Animesh,
Sinai Anthony P,
Gentry Matthew S
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.606.4
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , biology , homeostasis , parasite hosting , cytoplasm , host (biology) , enzyme , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , antibody , world wide web , computer science
Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic, protozoan parasite that infects roughly one‐third of humans worldwide. Shortly after infection, T. gondii establishes cysts, occupied by the slow‐growing bradyzoite stage in the CNS or muscle tissue where it will persist for the lifetime of the host. Bradyzoite biology is poorly understood, especially in regards to energetics. Accumulation of insoluble carbohydrate structures known as amylopectin granules (AGs) in the cytoplasm is a distinguishing morphological feature of bradyzoites, and thus suggests a potential source of energetic and biosynthetic potential. We have identified multiple enzymes involved in maintaining energetic homeostasis in the T. gondii . We have characterized these enzymes using bioinformatics and biochemical approaches. These studies seek to characterize this set of enzymes as gatekeepers to accessing the metabolic potential stored in AGs. Support or Funding Information This project is funded by the IDeA award from NIH/NIGMS 5P30GM110787 (COBRE for the Center for Molecular Medicine. PI Louis B Hersh, University of Kentucky) through the University of Kentucky Center for Molecular Medicine.