ArticleInfection and immunity2014
A conserved apicomplexan microneme protein contributes to Toxoplasma gondii invasion and virulence.
Article in Infection and immunity, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed.
- Clustering of host N-glycans by the microneme MIC1/4/6 complex licenses Toxoplasma rhoptry discharge.The EMBO journal · 2026Article
- Evolutionary remodeling of ubiquinone biosynthesis in Toxoplasma gondii reveals an essential bi-functional monooxygenase.Nature communications · 2026Article
- An in vivo fitness gene of Toxoplasma, MIC11, is essential for PLP1-mediated egress from host cells.Nature communications · 2026Article
- The CLAMP-Linked Invasion Protein (CLIP) plays an essential role inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- CRISPR-based functional profiling of the Toxoplasma gondii genome during acute murine infection.Nature microbiology · 2024Article
- A conserved complex of microneme proteins mediates rhoptry discharge in Toxoplasma.The EMBO journal · 2023Article
- The claudin-like apicomplexan microneme protein is required for gliding motility and infectivity of Plasmodium sporozoites.PLoS pathogens · 2023Article
- Influenza virus-like particle vaccine containing both apical membrane antigen 1 and microneme-associated antigen proteins of Plasmodium berghei confers protection in mice.BMC immunology · 2022Article
- Mining the Proteome ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Review
- Lysine crotonylation is widespread on proteins of diverse functions and localizations in Toxoplasma gondii.Parasitology research · 2021Article
- PfAP2-EXP2, an Essential Transcription Factor for the Intraerythrocytic Development ofFrontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2021Article
- A Toxoplasma gondii patatin-like phospholipase contributes to host cell invasion.PLoS pathogens · 2020Article
- Article
- Comparative genomic analysis of the principalPeerJ · 2020Article
- Structural basis of Toxoplasma gondii perforin-like protein 1 membrane interaction and activity during egress.PLoS pathogens · 2018Article
- Recent progress in microneme-based vaccines development againstClinical and experimental vaccine research · 2018Review
- Intersection of endocytic and exocytic systems in Toxoplasma gondii.Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark) · 2018Article
- Immuno-Efficacy of aFrontiers in microbiology · 2017Article
- Article
- Research advances in microneme protein 3 of Toxoplasma gondii.Parasites & vectors · 2015Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii critically relies on host cell invasion during infection. Proteins secreted from the apical micronemes are central components for host cell recognition, invasion, egress, and virulence. Although previous work established that the sporozoite protein with an altered thrombospondin repeat (SPATR) is a micronemal protein conserved in other apicomplexan parasites, including Plasmodium, Neospora, and Eimeria, no genetic evidence of its contribution to invasion has been reported. SPATR contains a predicted epidermal growth factor domain and two thrombospondin type 1 repeats, implying a role in host cell recognition. In this study, we assess the contribution of T. gondii SPATR (TgSPATR) to T. gondii invasion by genetically ablating it and restoring its expression by genetic complementation. Δspatr parasites were ~50% reduced in invasion compared to parental strains, a defect that was reversed in the complemented strain. In mouse virulence assays, Δspatr parasites were significantly attenuated, with ~20% of mice surviving infection. Given the conservation of this protein among the Apicomplexa, we assessed whether the Plasmodium falciparum SPATR ortholog (PfSPATR) could complement the absence of the TgSPATR. Although PfSPATR showed correct micronemal localization, it did not reverse the invasion deficiency of Δspatr parasites, because of an apparent failure in secretion. Overall, the results suggest that TgSPATR contributes to invasion and virulence, findings that have implications for the many genera and life stages of apicomplexans that express SPATR.
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