title: Biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol is essential to the survival of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
abstract: The PIGA gene from Toxoplasma gondii has been cloned and characterized. Like mammalian PIGA, the transmembrane and C-terminal domains are sufficient to direct localization to the parasite endoplasmic reticulum. A functional copy of PIGA is required for tachyzoite viability, demonstrating that glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis is an essential process in T. gondii.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wichroski
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043265:Phosphatidylinositol Diacylglycerol-Lyase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C080086:phosphatidylinositol glycan-class A protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; D043265:Phosphatidylinositol Diacylglycerol-Lyase