Cytoskeletal Components of an Invasion Machine-The Apical Complex of Toxoplasma gondii

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2006

Abstract

The apical complex of Toxoplasma gondii is widely believed to serve essential functions in both invasion of its host cells (including human cells), and in replication of the parasite. The understanding of apical complex function, the basis for its novel structure, and the mechanism for its motility are greatly impeded by lack of knowledge of its molecular composition. We have partially purified the conoid/apical complex, identified approximately 200 proteins that represent 70% of its cytoskeletal protein components, characterized seven novel proteins, and determined the sequence of recruitment of five of these proteins into the cytoskeleton during cell division. Our results provide new markers for the different subcompartments within the apical complex, and revealed previously unknown cellular compartments, which facilitate our understanding of how the invasion machinery is built. Surprisingly, the extreme apical and extreme basal structures of this highly polarized cell originate in the same location and at the same time very early during parasite replication.

Publication Title

PLoS Pathogens

Volume

2

Issue

2

First Page

e13

Last Page

e13

PubMed ID

16518471

Comments

This article was published in PLoS Pathogens, Volume 2, Issue 2, February 2006, Page e13.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.0020013

Copyright © 2006 Hu et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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