-Fucosylation of thrombospondin-like repeats is required for processing of microneme protein 2 and for efficient host cell invasion by tachyzoites.

is an intracellular parasite that causes disseminated infections that can produce neurological damage in fetuses and immunocompromised individuals. Microneme protein 2 (MIC2), a member of the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family, is a secreted protein important for motility, host cell attachment, invasion, and egress. MIC2 contains six thrombospondin type I repeats (TSRs) that are modified by -mannose and -fucose in spp. and mammals. Here, using MS analysis, we found that the four TSRs in MIC2 with protein -fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2) acceptor sites are modified by a dHexHex disaccharide, whereas Trp residues within three TSRs are also modified with -mannose. Disruption of genes encoding either POFUT2 or the putative GDP-fucose transporter (NST2) resulted in loss of MIC2 -fucosylation, as detected by an antibody against the GlcFuc disaccharide, and in markedly reduced cellular levels of MIC2. Furthermore, in 10-15% of the Δ or Δ vacuoles, MIC2 accumulated earlier in the secretory pathway rather than localizing to micronemes. Dissemination of tachyzoites in human foreskin fibroblasts was reduced for these knockouts, which both exhibited defects in attachment to and invasion of host cells comparable with the Δ phenotype. These results, indicating that -fucosylation of TSRs is required for efficient processing of MIC2 and for normal parasite invasion, are consistent with the recent demonstration that Δ strain has decreased virulence and also support a conserved role for this glycosylation pathway in quality control of TSR-containing proteins in eukaryotes.