A secreted serine-threonine kinase determines virulence in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii

S. Taylor; A. Barragan; C. Su; B. Fux; S. J. Fentress; K. Tang; W. L. Beatty; H. El Hajj; M. Jerome; M. S. Behnke; M. White; J. C. Wootton; L. D. Sibley

doi:10.1126/science.1133643

A secreted serine-threonine kinase determines virulence in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii

S. Taylor, A. Barragan, C. Su, B. Fux, S. J. Fentress, K. Tang, W. L. Beatty, H. El Hajj, M. Jerome, M. S. Behnke, M. White, J. C. Wootton, L. D. Sibley

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452 Scopus citations

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii strains differ dramatically in virulence despite being genetically very similar. Genetic mapping revealed two closely adjacent quantitative trait loci on parasite chromosome VIIa that control the extreme virulence of the type I lineage. Positional cloning identified the candidate virulence gene ROP18, a highly polymorphic serine-threonine kinase that was secreted into the host cell during parasite invasion. Transfection of the virulent ROP18 allele into a nonpathogenic type III strain increased growth and enhanced mortality by 4 to 5 logs. These attributes of ROP18 required kinase activity, which revealed that secretion of effectors is a major component of parasite virulence.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1776-1780
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	314
Issue number	5806
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1133643
State	Published - Dec 15 2006

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title = "A secreted serine-threonine kinase determines virulence in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii",

abstract = "Toxoplasma gondii strains differ dramatically in virulence despite being genetically very similar. Genetic mapping revealed two closely adjacent quantitative trait loci on parasite chromosome VIIa that control the extreme virulence of the type I lineage. Positional cloning identified the candidate virulence gene ROP18, a highly polymorphic serine-threonine kinase that was secreted into the host cell during parasite invasion. Transfection of the virulent ROP18 allele into a nonpathogenic type III strain increased growth and enhanced mortality by 4 to 5 logs. These attributes of ROP18 required kinase activity, which revealed that secretion of effectors is a major component of parasite virulence.",

author = "S. Taylor and A. Barragan and C. Su and B. Fux and Fentress, {S. J.} and K. Tang and Beatty, {W. L.} and {El Hajj}, H. and M. Jerome and Behnke, {M. S.} and M. White and Wootton, {J. C.} and Sibley, {L. D.}",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1133643",

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T1 - A secreted serine-threonine kinase determines virulence in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii

AU - Taylor, S.

AU - Barragan, A.

AU - Su, C.

AU - Fux, B.

AU - Fentress, S. J.

AU - Tang, K.

AU - Beatty, W. L.

AU - El Hajj, H.

AU - Jerome, M.

AU - Behnke, M. S.

AU - White, M.

AU - Wootton, J. C.

AU - Sibley, L. D.

PY - 2006/12/15

Y1 - 2006/12/15

N2 - Toxoplasma gondii strains differ dramatically in virulence despite being genetically very similar. Genetic mapping revealed two closely adjacent quantitative trait loci on parasite chromosome VIIa that control the extreme virulence of the type I lineage. Positional cloning identified the candidate virulence gene ROP18, a highly polymorphic serine-threonine kinase that was secreted into the host cell during parasite invasion. Transfection of the virulent ROP18 allele into a nonpathogenic type III strain increased growth and enhanced mortality by 4 to 5 logs. These attributes of ROP18 required kinase activity, which revealed that secretion of effectors is a major component of parasite virulence.

AB - Toxoplasma gondii strains differ dramatically in virulence despite being genetically very similar. Genetic mapping revealed two closely adjacent quantitative trait loci on parasite chromosome VIIa that control the extreme virulence of the type I lineage. Positional cloning identified the candidate virulence gene ROP18, a highly polymorphic serine-threonine kinase that was secreted into the host cell during parasite invasion. Transfection of the virulent ROP18 allele into a nonpathogenic type III strain increased growth and enhanced mortality by 4 to 5 logs. These attributes of ROP18 required kinase activity, which revealed that secretion of effectors is a major component of parasite virulence.

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U2 - 10.1126/science.1133643

DO - 10.1126/science.1133643

M3 - Article

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AN - SCOPUS:33845705275

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 314

SP - 1776

EP - 1780

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5806

ER -

A secreted serine-threonine kinase determines virulence in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii

Abstract

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