Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Novel insights into the composition and function of the Toxoplasma IMC sutures

 2016 Oct 1. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12678. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

The Toxoplasma inner membrane complex (IMC) is a specialized organelle underlying the parasite's plasma membrane that consists of flattened rectangular membrane sacs that are sutured together and positioned atop a supportive cytoskeleton. We have previously identified a novel class of proteins localizing to the transverse and longitudinal sutures of the IMC, which we named ISCs. Here we have used proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) at the sutures to better define the composition of this IMC subcompartment. Using ISC4 as bait, we demonstrate biotin-dependent labeling of the sutures and have uncovered two new ISCs. We also identified five new proteins that exclusively localize to the transverse sutures which we named TSCs, demonstrating that components of the IMC sutures consist of two groups, those that localize to the transverse and longitudinal sutures (ISCs) and those residing only in the transverse sutures (TSCs). In addition, we functionally analyze the ISC protein ISC3 and demonstrate that ISC3-null parasites have morphological defects and reduced fitness in vitro. Most importantly, Δisc3 parasites exhibit a complete loss of virulence in vivo. These studies expand the known composition of the IMC sutures and highlight the contribution of ISCs to the ability of the parasite to proliferate and cause disease.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS: 

BioID; IMC; Inner membrane complex; Sutures; Toxoplasma; choline transporter-like protein
PMID:
 
27696623
 
DOI:
 
10.1111/cmi.12678

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