Toxoplasma proteins GRA17 and GRA23 mediate the movement of small molecules between the host and the parasitophorous vacuole.

Purpose: Two secreted Toxoplasma proteins (GRA17 and GRA23) mediate the passage of small molecules between the host cytoplasm and the parasite-containing vacuole. This provides the first molecular explanation to how intracellular, vacuole-residing parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa, like Plasmodium, gain access to host nutrients. Methods: Mouse-derived Bone Marrow Macrophages were infected with Toxoplasma tachyzoites of either WT, dGRA17, dGRA23, or dGRA17rescue genetic background for 4 hours. Results: GRA23 gene expression levels are elevated in the dGRA17 strain but not vice versa. Conclusions: GRA17 and GRA23 are synergistically required for permeability of small molecules into the Toxoplasma parasitophorous vacuole. Overall design: Toxoplasma and Mouse gene expression profiles from BMDMs infected with either WT (control), dGRA17, gGRA23, or dGRA17rescue (control) tachyzoites were obtained by RNA-Seq on an Illumina HiSeq2000 instruments at 4 hours post-infection.

4

Gold DA, Kaplan AD, Lis A, Bett GC, Rosowski EE, Cirelli KM, Bougdour A, Sidik SM, Beck JR, Lourido S, Egea PF, Bradley PJ, Hakimi MA, Rasmusson RL, Saeij JP