A suite of eight Toxoplasma gondii effectors cooperates to activate the non-canonical NF-κB pathway
As a master of host-cell reprogramming, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) tachyzoites manipulate diverse signaling networks to establish a niche permissive for long-term infection. While the parasite’s subversion of canonical NF-κB signaling (p65/p50) is well established, how infection impacts the non-canonical NF-κB pathway has been largely unexplored. Here, we report that T. gondii infection induces nuclear accumulation of the non-canonical …
Navigating imaging artifacts: challenges with visualizing intrinsically fluorescent antimalarials
Elucidating the target of an antiparasitic small molecule can aid in the drug development process. However, various technical challenges related to parasite biology prevent timely target identification. Microscopy methods determining the co-localization of a drug with subcellular markers is a powerful approach that provides evidence of its localization within the cell. This technique can help …
VAMP3 vesicles support host protein recruitment and Plasmodium liver stage development
Plasmodium remodels the host liver cell as an obligatory step in malaria infection. Although several host proteins are recruited to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) after invasion, the mechanisms underlying this acquisition remain unknown. Here, we validated the upregulation and recruitment of the host protein CGA during liver stage Plasmodium berghei infection. We then depleted a panel …
Behavior of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis in Cilantro Crops (Coriandrum sativum L.) and the Antimicrobial Effect of Salvia officinalis Essential Oil
Fresh, ready-to-eat vegetables are susceptible to contamination by several bacterial pathogens. This study evaluated the behavior of inoculated Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis (7 Log10 CFU/g) through viable cell counts on eosin methylene blue (EMB) and brilliant green agar (BGA) in soil, seeds, and cilantro plants. Samples were analyzed at 2 h, 3, 7, 15, and 60 days (d) …
Evidence for the multistage malaria vaccine gamble
New vaccines to reduce disease and mortality caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria are urgently needed. Most vaccines target a single life-cycle stage and confer modest protection. Kirtley et al. test whether multistage immunity can improve protection and provide some of the first evidence that ‘multistage’ vaccines should be pursued. Chester J Joyner, Amadis R Vivas, …
Genome-targeted enrichment and sequencing of human-infecting Cryptosporidium spp
Cryptosporidium spp. are parasites that cause severe illness in vulnerable human populations. Obtaining pure and sufficient Cryptosporidium DNA from clinical and environmental samples is a challenging task. Oocysts shed in available fecal samples can be limited in quantity, require purification (biased towards dominant strains), and yield limited DNA ( < 40 fg/oocyst). Here, we use …
A chromosome-scale genome assembly and functional studies implicate the viral RNA polymerase in transcription of most Microplitis demolitor bracovirus late genes
Microgastroid parasitoids lay eggs in other insects and harbor bracoviruses (BVs), which evolved from a nudivirus. BV genomes are endogenized in the wasp germline and consist of nudivirus-like genes plus proviral segments with virulence genes. Nudivirus genes produce virions in the ovary calyx cells, which wasps use to transfer virulence genes to hosts. Here, we …
Unlocking the potential of ommatins as sustainable photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated efficacy in cancer treatment, with recent advancements concentrating on photosensitizers that generate high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light irradiation while exhibiting minimal dark toxicity. In this study, we explored the photophysical properties of ommatins, specifically xanthommatin (Xa), decarboxylated xanthommatin (Dc-Xa), and protected uncyclized xanthommatin (Uc-Xa), and assessed …
In the News: Ynes Ortega
Dr. Ynes Ortega’s laboratory is focused on parasites that have been associated with food- and waterborne outbreaks. Because of current practices in the production and processing of food products, there is a need for studies aimed at the dynamics of disease transmission. Ortega was part of the team that first identified Cylospora as a human …