1. The transcription factor AP2XI-2 is a key negative regulator of Toxoplasma gondii merogony.
- Author
-
Wang, Jin-Lei, Li, Ting-Ting, Zhang, Nian-Zhang, Wang, Meng, Sun, Li-Xiu, Zhang, Zhi-Wei, Fu, Bao-Quan, Elsheikha, Hany M., and Zhu, Xing-Quan
- Subjects
TRANSCRIPTION factors ,TOXOPLASMA gondii ,MEROZOITES ,OOCYSTS ,IN vitro studies ,PARASITES - Abstract
Sexual development in Toxoplasma gondii is a multistep process that culminates in the production of oocysts, constituting approximately 50% of human infections. However, the molecular mechanisms governing sexual commitment in this parasite remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the transcription factors AP2XI-2 and AP2XII-1 act as negative regulators, suppressing merozoite-primed pre-sexual commitment during asexual development. Depletion of AP2XI-2 in type II Pru strain induces merogony and production of mature merozoites in an alkaline medium but not in a neutral medium. In contrast, AP2XII-1-depleted Pru strain undergoes several rounds of merogony and produces merozoites in a neutral medium, with more pronounced effects observed under alkaline conditions. Additionally, we identified two additional AP2XI-2-interacting proteins involved in repressing merozoite programming. These findings underscore the intricate regulation of pre-sexual commitment by a network of factors and suggest that AP2XI-2 or AP2XII-1-depleted Pru parasites can serve as a model for studying merogony in vitro. Wang et al. discovered that AP2XI-2 and AP2XII-1 negatively regulate merozoite-primed pre-sexual commitment in Toxoplasma gondii, and parasites depleted of either AP2XI-2 or AP2XII-1 can serve as a valuable in vitro model for studying merogony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF