Rhoptries are major players in invasion and host cell interaction

Cell Microbiol. 2007 Mar 8; [Epub ahead of print]

Rhoptries are major players in Toxoplasma gondii invasion and host cell interaction

Dubremetz JF

UMR5539 CNRS-UM2, CC107, Universite de Montpellier 2, 2 Place Eugene Bataillon, 34090 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.

Rhoptries are unique secretory organelles shared by all Apicomplexan invasive stages. They are exocytosed upon host cell invasion and their contents are involved in creating the moving junction that propels the parasite in the cell and in building the parasitophorous vacuole in which the parasite will develop. In addition, some rhoptry proteins are targeted to the host cell nucleus. The array of roles played by these organelles has considerably expanded in the recent years, making them a major clue to the understanding of the early interaction between these parasites and their host. Yet, our knowledge on these organelles is still very poor and much has to be done before we get a clear view of the part they play in Apicomplexan biology.

PMID: 17346309 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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