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Be in motion . . .
Author(s) -
Mota Maria M.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05192.x
Subject(s) - biology , motility , obligate , gliding motility , bacterial adhesin , parasite hosting , intracellular , intracellular parasite , transmembrane protein , extracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , host (biology) , obligate parasite , apicomplexa , evolutionary biology , gene , genetics , ecology , virulence , immunology , receptor , plasmodium falciparum , malaria , world wide web , computer science
Summary Most Apicomplexan are obligate intracellular parasites and at different steps of their life cycle they invade host cells. The invasive forms are generally called zoites and the majority of them largely depend on a unique form of gliding motility to invade cells. Although the parasite intracellular motor complex that drives gliding motility and/or invasion is shared across different parasite stages and species, the extracellular transmembrane adhesins required to recognize and bind host molecules are not only species‐ but also stage‐specific (even if homologues). This is not such a surprise as different parasite stages interact with different hosts or distinct host cells. In this issue, Siden‐Kiamos et al . shows that specificity extends into the parasite cell, affecting how motility is regulated. Why is specificity occurring at this level? And how important is it? These are critical issues that will be hopefully addressed in the near future.