A novel dynamin-related protein has been recruited for apicoplast fission in Toxoplasma gondii.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_AA657D3FCAFE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
A novel dynamin-related protein has been recruited for apicoplast fission in Toxoplasma gondii.
Journal
Current Biology
Author(s)
van Dooren G.G., Reiff S.B., Tomova C., Meissner M., Humbel B.M., Striepen B.
ISSN
1879-0445 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0960-9822
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2009
Volume
19
Number
4
Pages
267-276
Language
english
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Apicomplexan parasites cause numerous important human diseases, including malaria and toxoplasmosis. Apicomplexa belong to the Alveolata, a group that also includes ciliates and dinoflagellates. Apicomplexa retain a plastid organelle (the apicoplast) that was derived from an endosymbiotic relationship between the alveolate ancestor and a red alga. Apicoplasts are essential for parasite growth and must correctly divide and segregate into daughter cells upon cytokinesis. Apicoplast division depends on association with the mitotic spindle, although little is known about the molecular machinery involved in this process. Apicoplasts lack the conserved machinery that divides chloroplasts in plants and red algae, suggesting that these mechanisms are unique.
RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that a dynamin-related protein in Toxoplasma gondii (TgDrpA) localizes to punctate regions on the apicoplast surface. We generate a conditional dominant-negative TgDrpA cell line to disrupt TgDrpA functions and demonstrate that TgDrpA is essential for parasite growth and apicoplast biogenesis. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and time-lapse imaging studies provide evidence for a direct role for TgDrpA in apicoplast fission.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that DrpA was likely recruited from the alveolate ancestor to function in fission of the symbiont and ultimately replaced the conserved division machinery of that symbiont.
Keywords
Animals, Cells, Cultured, Dynamins/genetics, Dynamins/metabolism, Fibroblasts/cytology, Fibroblasts/metabolism, Humans, Microtubule-Associated Proteins/classification, Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics, Organelles/metabolism, Organelles/ultrastructure, Phylogeny, Protozoan Proteins/classification, Protozoan Proteins/genetics, Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics, Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism, Toxoplasma/cytology, Toxoplasma/metabolism
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
28/02/2012 18:39
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:14
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