ArticlePLoS pathogens2012
Comparative genomics of the apicomplexan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum: Coccidia differing in host range and transmission strategy.
Article in PLoS pathogens, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 128 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
128 citing papers in PubMed, 234 citations in OpenAlex.
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- From genomes to interventions: computational strategies transforming parasitology.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Review
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- Differential expression of host invasion-associated genes by Sarcocystis calchasi in intermediate versus definitive hosts.PloS one · 2025Article
- Upregulated small GTPase immunity-associated proteins confer resistance toFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025Article
- HParasitology research · 2024Review
- Identification and function characterization of NcAP2XII-4 in Neospora caninum.Parasites & vectors · 2024Article
- ToxoNet: A high confidence map of protein-protein interactions in Toxoplasma gondii.PLoS computational biology · 2024Article
- Evaluation of species-specific polyclonal antibodies to detect and differentiate betweenJournal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc · 2024Article
- TaqMan-quantitative PCR assays applied inFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2024Article
- Analytic Approaches in Genomic Epidemiological Studies of Parasitic Protozoa.Transboundary and emerging diseases · 2024Review
- Serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in free-ranging rats from Nagpur, India.Parasitology research · 2023Article
- Massive invasion of organellar DNA drives nuclear genome evolution inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2023Article
- Identification of specific antigens between Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum and application of potential diagnostic antigen TgGRA54.Parasitology research · 2023Article
68 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
23 authors at 9 institutions in 6 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite which infects nearly one third of the human population and is found in an extraordinary range of vertebrate hosts. Its epidemiology depends heavily on horizontal transmission, especially between rodents and its definitive host, the cat. Neospora caninum is a recently discovered close relative of Toxoplasma, whose definitive host is the dog. Both species are tissue-dwelling Coccidia and members of the phylum Apicomplexa; they share many common features, but Neospora neither infects humans nor shares the same wide host range as Toxoplasma, rather it shows a striking preference for highly efficient vertical transmission in cattle. These species therefore provide a remarkable opportunity to investigate mechanisms of host restriction, transmission strategies, virulence and zoonotic potential. We sequenced the genome of N. caninum and transcriptomes of the invasive stage of both species, undertaking an extensive comparative genomics and transcriptomics analysis. We estimate that these organisms diverged from their common ancestor around 28 million years ago and find that both genomes and gene expression are remarkably conserved. However, in N. caninum we identified an unexpected expansion of surface antigen gene families and the divergence of secreted virulence factors, including rhoptry kinases. Specifically we show that the rhoptry kinase ROP18 is pseudogenised in N. caninum and that, as a possible consequence, Neospora is unable to phosphorylate host immunity-related GTPases, as Toxoplasma does. This defense strategy is thought to be key to virulence in Toxoplasma. We conclude that the ecological niches occupied by these species are influenced by a relatively small number of gene products which operate at the host-parasite interface and that the dominance of vertical transmission in N. caninum may be associated with the evolution of reduced virulence in this species.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.