is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. Central to its dissemination and pathogenicity is the ability to rapidly divide in the tachyzoite stage and infect any type of nucleated cell. Adaptation to different cell contexts requires high plasticity in which heat shock proteins (Hsps) could play a fundamental role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtozoan parasites have tremendously diverse lifestyles that require adaptation to a remarkable assortment of different environmental conditions. In order to complete their life cycles, protozoan parasites rely on fine-tuning gene expression. In general, protozoa use novel regulatory elements, transcription factors, and epigenetic mechanisms to regulate their transcriptomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe results of this study describe the immunostimulatory properties of Leishmania infantum Hsp83 (83) to elicit humoral and cellular response against the Toxoplasma gondii Rop2 protein in an adjuvant-free vaccination system. The analysis was performed by immunizing three different mice strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6 and C3H). Mice immunized with fusion Rop2-83 elicited a stronger humoral and cellular response in comparison to mice immunized with Rop2 alone, or a mix of LiHsp83 and Rop2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF