Toxoplasma gondii infects many people worldwide and is commonly spread through uncooked meat and contaminated produce. The infection, toxoplasmosis, is often mild but can be dangerous for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. If caught within the first two weeks, it can be treated; otherwise the parasite can turn chronic and form brain cysts.
Scientists at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine changed a fluorescent imaging system normally used for human cells so they could observe the parasite's growth in real time. They searched for proteins that appear at specific growth points and are visible in large structures such as the nucleus. After testing different markers and colors, they attached two bright green tags to a protein called PCNA1 and got a clear signal.
Using that signal, the team mapped the parasite cell cycle and found that later stages overlap instead of following a strict order. With this map, researchers are now seeking weak points to stop multiplication and testing how drugs affect specific stages. The research appears in mBio.
Difficult words
- infect — to make a person or animal sickinfects
- parasite — an organism that lives on or in anotherparasite's
- chronic — lasting a long time, not easily cured
- cyst — a small, closed lump or sac in the bodycysts
- fluorescent — producing visible light when excited by energy
- nucleus — the central part of a cell containing genetic material
- marker — a substance used to show or identify somethingmarkers
- cell cycle — the series of stages a cell goes through
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Discussion questions
- What steps could people take to reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis from food?
- Why is it useful for researchers to know which stage a drug affects in the parasite?
- How could mapping the parasite cell cycle help scientists find ways to stop multiplication?
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