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Category: publications

A kalihinol analog disrupts apicoplast function and vesicular trafficking in P. falciparum malaria

Donna Huber on September 27, 2024

  We report the discovery of MED6-189, an analog of the kalihinol family of isocyanoterpene natural products that is effective against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains, blocking both asexual replication and sexual differentiation. In vivo studies using a humanized mouse model of malaria confirm strong efficacy of the compound in animals with no apparent hemolytic activity …

Current Status of the Diagnosis of Brugia spp. Infections

Donna Huber on September 23, 2024

Filarial nematodes of the genus Brugia include parasites that are significant to both human and veterinary medicine. Accurate diagnosis is essential for managing infections by these parasites and supporting elimination programs. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as microscopy and serology, remain vital, especially in resource-limited settings. However, advancements in molecular diagnostics, including nucleic acid amplification tests, offer enhanced …

The GPI sidechain of Toxoplasma gondii inhibits parasite pathogenesis

Donna Huber on September 20, 2024

  Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) are highly conserved anchors for eukaryotic cell surface proteins. The apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is a widespread intracellular parasite of warm-blooded animals whose plasma membrane is covered with GPI-anchored proteins, and free GPIs called GIPLs. While the glycan portion is conserved, species differ in sidechains added to the triple mannose core. The …

Oxygen-dependent regulation of F-box proteins in Toxoplasma gondii is mediated by Skp1 glycosylation

Donna Huber on September 20, 2024

  A dynamic proteome is required for cellular adaption to changing environments including levels of O2, and the SKP1/CULLIN-1/F-box protein/RBX1 (SCF) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases contributes importantly to proteasome-mediated degradation. We examine, in the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the influence on the interactome of SKP1 by its novel glycan attached to a hydroxyproline generated …

A combination of four Toxoplasma gondii nuclear-targeted effectors protects against interferon gamma-driven human host cell death

Donna Huber on September 18, 2024

  In both mice and humans, Type II interferon gamma (IFNγ) is crucial for the regulation of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection, during acute or chronic phases. To thwart this defense, T. gondii secretes protein effectors hindering the host’s immune response. For example, T. gondii relies on the MYR translocon complex to deploy soluble dense …

Inorganic Polyphosphate Is in the Surface of Trypanosoma cruzi but Is Not Significantly Secreted

Donna Huber on September 9, 2024

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, an infection that can lead to the development of cardiac fibrosis, which is characterized by the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the interstitial region of the myocardium. The parasite itself can induce myofibroblast differentiation of cardiac fibroblast in vitro, leading to increased expression of ECM. …

Seeing the unseen: illuminating Toxoplasma gondii’s metabolic manipulation

Donna Huber on July 12, 2024

Intracellular infection by a pathogen induces significant rewiring of host cell signaling and biological processes. Understanding how an intracellular pathogen such as Toxoplasma gondii modulates host cell metabolism with single-cell resolution has been challenged by the variability of infection within cultures and difficulties in separating host and parasite metabolic processes. A new study from Gallego-Lopez …

Domestic Dog Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi from Northern and Southern Regions of Mexico

Donna Huber on July 1, 2024

Background: Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and vectored by triatomines, affects millions of people worldwide. In endemic countries including Mexico, infections in domestic animals, such as dogs, may affect the risk of human disease when they serve as a source of infection to vectors that subsequently infect humans. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study …

Reciprocal interactions between neuropeptide F and RYamide regulate host attraction in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

Donna Huber on July 1, 2024

Female mosquitoes produce eggs in gonadotrophic cycles that are divided between a previtellogenic and vitellogenic phase. Previtellogenic females consume water and sugar sources like nectar while also being attracted to hosts for blood feeding. Consumption of a blood meal activates the vitellogenic phase, which produces mature eggs and suppresses host attraction. In this study, we …

An Overview of Management Considerations for Mongolian Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), Cats (Felis catus), and Dogs (Canis familiaris) as Hosts for Brugia Infection

Donna Huber on June 26, 2024

Lymphatic filariasis is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection affecting an estimated 51.4 million people. Brugia malayi and Brugia pahangi are used in research because common nonprimate research species such as Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), cats (Felis catus), and dogs (Canis familiaris) can maintain the life cycle of these species of filarial nematodes. Although overall care and management of animals infected …