Apicomplexa in mammalian cells: trafficking to the parasitophorous vacuole.
Most Apicomplexa reside and multiply in the cytoplasm of their host cell, within a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) originating from both parasite and host cell components. Trafficking of parasite-encoded proteins destined to membrane compartments beyond the confine of the parasite plasma membrane is a process that offers a rich territory to explore novel mechanisms of protein-membrane interactions. Here, we focus on the PVs formed by the asexual stages of two pathogens of medical importance, Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. We compare the PVs of both parasites, with a particular emphasis on their evolutionary divergent compartmentalization within the host cell. We also discuss the existence of peculiar export mechanisms and/or sorting determinants that are potentially involved in the post-secretory targeting of parasite proteins to the PV subcompartments.
Cesbron-Delauw
Marie-France
MF
Laboratoire Adaptation et Pathogénie des Microorganismes, CNRS UMR 5163, Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1, BP 170, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. marie-france.cesbron@ujf-grenoble.fr
Gendrin
Claire
C
Travier
Laetitia
L
Ruffiot
Pauline
P
Mercier
Corinne
C
D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism*