ArticleBMC genomics2015
Asexual expansion of Toxoplasma gondii merozoites is distinct from tachyzoites and entails expression of non-overlapping gene families to attach, invade, and replicate within feline enterocytes.
Article in BMC genomics, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 78 papers.
What it found
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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
78 citing papers in PubMed, 122 citations in OpenAlex.
- Article
- An in vivo fitness gene of Toxoplasma, MIC11, is essential for PLP1-mediated egress from host cells.Nature communications · 2026Article
- A single-cell atlas ofbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- The Potential of MIC17A both as an Entero-epithelial and Chronic Stage Marker for Detection of Feline Toxoplasmosis.Current microbiology · 2026Article
- Development and validation of a gra1-bag1 RT-qPCR assay as an alternative to the mouse bioassay for assessing Toxoplasma gondii viability.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of Toxoplasma gondii reveals stage-specific regulatory programs and metabolic adaptations driving oocyst sporulation.BMC genomics · 2026Article
- Long-term feeder cell-free cat intestinal organoid cultures to study Toxoplasma gondii's sexual development.Communications biology · 2026Article
- Bradyzoite subtypes rule the crossroads of Toxoplasma development.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Increased caecal Intestinimonas abundance inhibits E. tenella gametogenesis via EtGFAT regulation and alleviates infection through immunity.Microbiome · 2026Article
- Article
- Article
- Toxoplasma gondii chromatin remodeler SWI/SNF controls parasite division and gene expression.Nature communications · 2025Article
- AP2X-1 is a negative regulator ofmBio · 2025Article
- Regulation of the developmental programs in Toxoplasma by a novel SNF2L-containing chromatin remodeling complex.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Phospho-relay feedback loops control egress vs. intracellular development in Toxoplasma gondii.Cell reports · 2025Article
- Deciphering the code of resistance: a genomic and transcriptomic exploration of the Cystoisospora suis Holland-I strain.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The HCF101 protein is an important component of the cytosolic iron-sulfur synthesis pathway in Toxoplasma gondii.PLoS biology · 2025Article
- A Novel Nuclear Protein Complex Controlling the Expression of Developmentally Regulated Genes in Toxoplasma Gondii.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- Review
- Proteome changes duringFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025Article
18 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is cosmopolitan in nature, largely as a result of its highly flexible life cycle. Felids are its only definitive hosts and a wide range of mammals and birds serve as intermediate hosts. The latent bradyzoite stage is orally infectious in all warm-blooded vertebrates and establishes chronic, transmissible infections. When bradyzoites are ingested by felids, they transform into merozoites in enterocytes and expand asexually as part of their coccidian life cycle. In all other intermediate hosts, however, bradyzoites differentiate exclusively to tachyzoites, and disseminate extraintestinally to many cell types. Both merozoites and tachyzoites undergo rapid asexual population expansion, yet possess different effector fates with respect to the cells and tissues they develop in and the subsequent stages they differentiate into.
resultsTo determine whether merozoites utilize distinct suites of genes to attach, invade, and replicate within feline enterocytes, we performed comparative transcriptional profiling on purified tachyzoites and merozoites. We used high-throughput RNA-Seq to compare the merozoite and tachyzoite transcriptomes. 8323 genes were annotated with sequence reads across the two asexually replicating stages of the parasite life cycle. Metabolism was similar between the two replicating stages. However, significant stage-specific expression differences were measured, with 312 transcripts exclusive to merozoites versus 453 exclusive to tachyzoites. Genes coding for 177 predicted secreted proteins and 64 membrane- associated proteins were annotated as merozoite-specific. The vast majority of known dense-granule (GRA), microneme (MIC), and rhoptry (ROP) genes were not expressed in merozoites. In contrast, a large set of surface proteins (SRS) was expressed exclusively in merozoites.
conclusionsThe distinct expression profiles of merozoites and tachyzoites reveal significant additional complexity within the T. gondii life cycle, demonstrating that merozoites are distinct asexual dividing stages which are uniquely adapted to their niche and biological purpose.
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