A5025333181- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Malaria Research and Control
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Calcium signaling and nucleotide metabolism
- Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Advanced Biosensing Techniques and Applications
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
- Pancreatic and Hepatic Oncology Research
- Complement system in diseases
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Erythrocyte Function and Pathophysiology
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
University of Perugia
2015-2025
University of Michigan
2017-2021
Imperial College London
1999-2002
Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione
1996-1998
Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology
1991-1993
Homeodomain‐leucine zipper (HD‐Zip) proteins are putative transcription factors identified only in plants. Related Arabidopsis homeobox genes, isolated by virtue of sequence conservation within the helix‐3 region homeodomain, fall into four families based on similarity. This paper reports characterization Athb‐10, a 747 amino acid protein belonging to fourth HD‐ZIP family. The studies indicate that, although less conserved, leucine Athb‐10 can functionally replace that Athb‐2 an vitro...
The intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii shares with other members of the Apicomplexa a common set apical structures involved in host cell invasion. Micronemes are secretory organelles releasing their contents upon contact cells. We have identified transmembrane micronemal protein MIC6, which functions as an escorter for accurate targeting two soluble proteins MIC1 and MIC4 to micronemes. Disruption MIC1, MIC4, MIC6 genes allowed us precisely dissect contribution sorting...
Abstract Background: Progress in robotic printing technology has allowed the development of high-density nucleic acid and protein arrays that have increased throughput a variety assays. We generated microarrays by microbial antigens to simultaneously determine human sera antibodies directed against Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 2 (ToRCH antigens). Methods: The were printed on activated glass slides with high-speed robotics....
ABSTRACT The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii resides within a nonfusogenic vacuole during intracellular replication. Although the limiting membrane of this provides protective barrier to acidification and degradation by lysosomal hydrolases, it also physically segregates from host cytosol. Accordingly, has been suggested that T. acquires material via channels or transporters. ability internalize macromolecules endocytosis replication not tested. Here, we show ingests cytosolic proteins...
Toxoplasma gondii possesses sets of dense granule proteins (GRAs) that either assemble at, or cross the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) and exhibit motifs resembling HT/PEXEL previously identified in a repertoire exported Plasmodium proteins. Within spp., cleavage motif by endoplasmic reticulum-resident protease Plasmepsin V precedes trafficking to export across PVM involved pathogenicity host cell remodelling. Here, we have functionally characterized T. aspartyl 5 (ASP5),...
Viral infections sustain their replication cycle promoting a pro-oxidant environment in the host cell. In this context, specific alterations of levels and homeostatic function tripeptide glutathione have been reported to play causal role cytopathic effects (CPE) virus. study, these aspects were investigated for first time SARS-CoV2-infected Vero E6 cells, reliable well-characterized vitro model infection. SARS-CoV2 markedly decreased cellular thiols, essentially lowering reduced form (GSH)....
ABSTRACT Macroautophagy is an important cellular process involving lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic components, facilitated by autophagy-related proteins. In the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii , autophagy has been demonstrated to play a key role in adapting stress and persistence chronic infection. Despite limited knowledge about core machinery T. two PROPPIN family proteins (TgPROP1 TgPROP2) have identified with homology Atg18/WIPI. Prior research acute-stage tachyzoites suggests...
During Toxoplasma gondii infection, a fraction of the multiplying parasites, tachyzoites, converts into bradyzoites, dormant stage, which form tissue cysts localized mainly in brain, heart, and skeletal muscles that persist for several years after infection. At this stage parasite is protected from immune system, it believed to be inaccessible drugs. While long persistence does not represent medical problem healthy individuals, condition represents major risk patients with compromised who...
Many of the world’s warm-blooded species are chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts, including an estimated one-third global human population. The cellular processes that permit long-term persistence within cyst largely unknown for T. and related coccidian parasites impact animal health. Herein, we show genetic ablation TgATG9 substantially reduces canonical autophagy compromises bradyzoite viability. Transmission electron microscopy revealed numerous structural...
Toxoplasma gondii is a master manipulator capable of effectively siphoning the resources from host cell for its intracellular subsistence. However, molecular underpinnings how parasite gains remain largely unknown. Residing within non-fusogenic parasitophorous vacuole (PV), must acquire across limiting membrane replicative niche, which decorated with proteins including those secreted dense granules. We discovered role Endosomal Sorting Complex Required Transport (ESCRT) machinery in...
The micronemal protein 2 (MIC2) of Toxoplasma gondiishares sequence and structural similarities with a series adhesive molecules different apicomplexan parasites. These accumulate, through yet unknown mechanism, in secretory vesicles (micronemes), which together tubular membrane structures form the locomotion invasion machinery Our findings indicated that two conserved motifs placed within cytoplasmic domain MIC2 are both necessary sufficient for targeting proteins to T. gondii micronemes....
ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to develop an antibody-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity assay discriminate between acute and latent phases Toxoplasma gondii infection by using recombinant antigens. One hundred twenty-one serum samples from women who developed IgG antibodies against during pregnancy were used. avidities directed epitopes carried fragments GRA3, GRA7, MIC3, SAG1 antigens measured performing parallel enzyme immunoassays. index for -specific a homogeneous mixture...
Small RNAs include different classes essential for endogenous gene regulation and cellular defence against genomic parasites. However, a comprehensive analysis of the small RNA pathways in germline mosquito Anopheles gambiae has never been performed despite their potential relevance to reproductive capacity this malaria vector. We deep sequencing during larval adult gonadogenesis find that they predominantly express four regulatory RNAs. identified 45 novel miRNA precursors some which were...
The oncogene and drug metabolism enzyme glutathione S-transferase P (GSTP) is also a GSH-dependent chaperone of signal transduction transcriptional proteins with key role in liver carcinogenesis. In this study, we explored GSTP hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) investigating the possible interaction protein one its transcription factor metronome cancer cell redox, namely nuclear erythroid 2-related 2 (Nrf2). Expression, cellular distribution, function as glutathionylation GSTP1-1 isoform were...
ABSTRACT The main objective of this work was to improve the early serologic diagnosis toxoplasmosis in children at risk congenital infection by using recombinant antigens. Serum samples from 104 infants born mothers with primary Toxoplasma gondii acquired during pregnancy, which 35 were congenitally infected and 22 had clinical silent birth, included. Immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, IgG subtype antibodies against epitopes carried fragments T. MIC2 , MIC3 MIC4 M2AP AMA1 SAG1 gene products...
ORF3a, the most abundantly expressed accessory protein of SARS-CoV-2, plays an essential role in virus egress by inactivating lysosomes through their deacidification. However, mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. While seminal studies suggested ORF3a being a cation-selective channel (i.e., viroporin), recent works disproved conclusion. To unravel potential function here we employed multidisciplinary approach including patch-clamp electrophysiology, videoimaging, molecular...
Summary The intracellular parasite T oxoplasma gondii converts from a rapidly replicating tachyzoite form during acute infection to quiescent encysted bradyzoite stage that persists inside long‐lived cells chronic infection. Bradyzoites adopt reduced metabolism and slow replication while waiting for an opportunity recrudesce the within host. Interconversion between these two developmental stages is characterized by expression of glycolytic isoenzymes play key roles in metabolism. genome...
Abstract Toxoplasma gondii infects a broad range of hosts and can establish chronic infections with the formation brain cysts. Infected animals show altered risk behaviour which has been suggested to increase capture probability hosts, thus enhance parasite transmission. It proposed that ability cysts secrete tyrosine hydroxylase could mediate these behavioural alterations. We tested involvement secreted hydroxylase, coded by AaaH2 gene, in development alterations mouse behaviour, generating...
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite with the ability to use foodborne, zoonotic, and congenital routes of transmission that causes severe disease in immunocompromised patients. The parasites harbor a lysosome-like organelle, termed "Vacuolar Compartment/Plant-Like Vacuole" (VAC/PLV), which plays important role maintaining lytic cycle virulence T. gondii. VAC supplies proteolytic enzymes contribute maturation invasion effectors digest autophagosomes endocytosed host proteins....
Journal Article Interaction of proteins with the mRNA for ribosomal protein L1 in Xenopus: structural characterization vivo complexes and identification that bind to its 5'UTR Get access Beatrice Cardinali, Cardinali Istituto di Biologia Cellulare, CNRvia Marx 43, 00137 Rome, Italy Search other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Manlio Di Cristina, Cristina Paola Pierandrei-Amaldi * To whom correspondence should be addressed Nucleic Acids Research, Volume 21,...