Rapid control of protein level in the apicomplexan Toxo

Nat Methods. 2007 Nov 11; [Epub ahead of print]

Rapid control of protein level in the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii

Herm-Götz A, Agop-Nersesian C, Münter S, Grimley JS, Wandless TJ, Frischknecht F, Meissner M

[1] Hygieneinstitut, Department of Parasitology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. [2] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Analysis of gene function in apicomplexan parasites is limited by the absence of reverse genetic tools that allow easy and rapid modulation of protein levels. The fusion of a ligand-controlled destabilization domain (ddFKBP) to a protein of interest enables rapid and reversible protein stabilization in T. gondii. This allows an efficient functional analysis of proteins that have a dual role during host cell invasion and/or intracellular growth of the parasite.

PMID: 17994029 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]