z-logo
Premium
Seizing control: How dense granule effector proteins enable Toxoplasma to take charge
Author(s) -
Panas Michael W.,
Boothroyd John C.
Publication year - 2021
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/mmi.14679
Subject(s) - effector , biology , toxoplasma gondii , microbiology and biotechnology , dense granule , organelle , granule (geology) , cytoplasm , vacuole , immunology , antibody , paleontology
Control of the host cell is crucial to the Apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, while it grows intracellularly. To achieve this goal, these single‐celled eukaryotes export a series of effector proteins from organelles known as “dense granules” that interfere with normal cellular processes and responses to invasion. While some effectors are found attached to the outer surface of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in which Toxoplasma tachyzoites reside, others are found in the host cell's cytoplasm and yet others make their way into the host nucleus, where they alter host transcription. Among the processes that are severely altered are innate immune responses, host cell cycle, and association with host organelles. The ways in which these crucial processes are altered through the coordinated action of a large collection of effectors is as elegant as it is complex, and is the central focus of the following review; we also discuss the recent advances in our understanding of how dense granule effector proteins are trafficked out of the PV.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here