UNLABELLED The arginine methyltransferase family (PRMT) has been implicated in a variety of cellular processes, including signal transduction, epigenetic regulation, and DNA repair pathways. PRMT1 is thought to be responsible for the majority of PRMT activity in Toxoplasma gondii, but its exact function is unknown. To further define the biological function of the PRMT family, we generated T. go...

We tested the virulence in mice of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain tachyzoites containing various copies of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase-herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase fusion sequence (CAT-HSTK). Tachyzoite isolates containing >/=five copies of the fusion sequence were not lethal to female CD-1 outbred or BALB/c inbred mice, at doses up to 10(6) parasites, while the parental RH str...

A ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 detected on the surface of the human malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum (PfP0) has been shown to be recognised by invasion blocking antibodies. Using cross-reactive polyclonal antibodies against PfP0, the surface localisation has also been demonstrated on certain mammalian cells, yeast and Toxoplasma gondii. We sought to characterise the phenomenon of surface ...

Affinity-purified 38 kDa surface antigen of Neospora caninum tachyzoites was used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to diagnose N. caninum-associated abortion in cattle. The specificity of this antigen was demonstrated by using sera from cattle experimentally infected with other apicomplexan parasites. In a panel of field sera, serological differences could be demonstrated...

To evaluate the usefulness of the Korean Isolate-1 (KI-1) antigen for serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis, antigen profiles of KI-1 tachyzoites were analyzed in comparison with RH tachyzoites by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. ELISA was performed on latex agglutination (LA)-positive and negative serum samples using KI-1 and RH antigens. Immunoblotting of the KI-1 antigen showed multiple antigen bands w...

Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate intercellular protozoan, is considered to be a leading cause of foodborne mortality in the United States (www.cdc.gov). Even in the post-HAART era, fatal toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) due to reactivation of chronic Toxoplasma infection remains a major problem in Toxoplasma-seropositive AIDS patients in developing countries [1]. ...

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide distributed parasite causing abortions and fetal malformations in small ruminants. The aim of this study was to design validate new immunoassay based on the use TgSAG1-GRA8 chimeric antigen for detection anti-T. antibodies serum goats. First, time-resolved fluorescence (TgSAG1-GRA8-TRFIA) developed. In addition, diagnostic performance TgSAG1-GRA8-TRFIA compared ...

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that infects almost all warm-blooded vertebrates. Heat shock proteins (HSP) regulate key signal transduction events in many organisms, and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) plays an important role in growth, development, and virulence in several parasitic protozoa. Here, we discovered increased transcription of the Hsp90 gene unde...

Bovine besnoitiosis is considered an emerging chronic and debilitating disease in Europe. Many infections remain subclinical, and the only sign of disease is the presence of parasitic cysts in the sclera and conjunctiva. Serological tests are useful for detecting asymptomatic cattle/sub-clinical infections for control purposes, as there are no effective drugs or vaccines. For this purpose, diag...