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Toxoplasma gondii Chitinase Induces Macrophage Activation.
- Source :
-
PloS one [PLoS One] 2015 Dec 10; Vol. 10 (12), pp. e0144507. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Dec 10 (Print Publication: 2015). - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite found worldwide that is able to chronically infect almost all vertebrate species, especially birds and mammalians. Chitinases are essential to various biological processes, and some pathogens rely on chitinases for successful parasitization. Here, we purified and characterized a chitinase from T. gondii. The enzyme, provisionally named Tg_chitinase, has a molecular mass of 13.7 kDa and exhibits a Km of 0.34 mM and a Vmax of 2.64. The optimal environmental conditions for enzymatic function were at pH 4.0 and 50 °C. Tg_chitinase was immunolocalized in the cytoplasm of highly virulent T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites, mainly at the apical extremity. Tg_chitinase induced macrophage activation as manifested by the production of high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, a pathogenic hallmark of T. gondii infection. In conclusion, to our knowledge, we describe for the first time a chitinase of T. gondii tachyzoites and provide evidence that this enzyme might influence the pathogenesis of T. gondii infection.
- Subjects :
- Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Chitinases genetics
Chitinases metabolism
Chromatography, Liquid
Cytokines immunology
Cytokines metabolism
Cytoplasm enzymology
Host-Parasite Interactions immunology
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Inflammation Mediators immunology
Inflammation Mediators metabolism
Kinetics
Macrophages, Peritoneal metabolism
Macrophages, Peritoneal parasitology
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Microscopy, Confocal
Models, Molecular
Molecular Sequence Data
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Protozoan Proteins chemistry
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Temperature
Toxoplasma enzymology
Toxoplasma physiology
Chitinases immunology
Macrophage Activation immunology
Macrophages, Peritoneal immunology
Protozoan Proteins immunology
Toxoplasma immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1932-6203
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26659253
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144507