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Abscisic acid controls calcium-dependent egress and development in Toxoplasma gondii

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  • Kisaburo Nagamune

    (Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
    Present addresses: Department of Immunoregulation, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan (K.N.); Linstitut National de la Researche Agronomique, Centre de Recherche de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France (F.B.).)

  • Leslie M. Hicks

    (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 N. Warson Road, St Louis, Missouri 63132, USA)

  • Blima Fux

    (Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA)

  • Fabien Brossier

    (Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
    Present addresses: Department of Immunoregulation, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan (K.N.); Linstitut National de la Researche Agronomique, Centre de Recherche de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France (F.B.).)

  • Eduardo N. Chini

    (Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA)

  • L. David Sibley

    (Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA)

Abstract

The wrong kind of hormone? Calcium signalling plays an important role in determining the virulence of the human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, an apicomplexan protozoon. A study of the mechanisms involved has uncovered a surprising agent for this signalling: the plant hormone abscisic acid. Comparative genomics reveals that the pathway for synthesis of the plant hormone was acquired by endosymbiosis. This pathway controls a crucial developmental switch between lytic growth and dormancy, which is a key component of pathogenesis. The plant-like nature of this pathway may be exploited to develop new therapeutics as shown by the ability of a specific inhibitor of abscisic acid biosynthesis to protect mice from lethal infection.

Suggested Citation

  • Kisaburo Nagamune & Leslie M. Hicks & Blima Fux & Fabien Brossier & Eduardo N. Chini & L. David Sibley, 2008. "Abscisic acid controls calcium-dependent egress and development in Toxoplasma gondii," Nature, Nature, vol. 451(7175), pages 207-210, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:451:y:2008:i:7175:d:10.1038_nature06478
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06478
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