Requirement of Toxoplasma gondii metacaspases for IMC1 maturation, endodyogeny and virulence in mice

Muzi Li,Qun Liu,Yayun Wu,Xiaodong Sun,Yihan Wu,Xiao Zhang,Yong Fu,Jing Liu

doi:10.1186/s13071-021-04878-0

Muzi Li, Qun Liu + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04878-0

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Abstract

BackgroundMetacaspases are multifunctional proteins found in plants, fungi and protozoa, and are involved in processes such as insoluble protein aggregate clearance and cell proliferation. Our previous study demonstrated that metacaspase-1 (MCA1) contributes to parasite apoptosis in Toxoplasma gondii. Deletion of MCA1 from T. gondii has no effect on the growth and virulence of the parasites. Three metacaspases were identified in the ToxoDB Toxoplasma Informatics Resource, and the function of metacaspase-2 (MCA2) and metacaspase-3 (MCA3) has not been demonstrated.MethodsIn this study, we constructed MCA1, MCA2 and MCA1/MCA2 transgenic strains from RHΔku80 (Δku80), including overexpressing strains and knockout strains, to clarify the function of MCA1 and MCA2 of T. gondii.ResultsMCA1 and MCA2 were distributed in the cytoplasm with punctuated aggregation, and part of the punctuated aggregation of MCA1 and MCA2 was localized on the inner membrane complex of T. gondii. The proliferation of the MCA1/MCA2 double-knockout strain was significantly reduced; however, the two single knockout strains (MCA1 knockout strain and MCA2 knockout strain) exhibited normal growth rates as compared to the parental strain, Δku80. In addition, endodyogeny was impaired in the tachyzoites whose MCA1 and MCA2 were both deleted due to multiple nuclei and abnormal expression of IMC1. We further found that IMC1 of the double-knockout strain was detergent-soluble, indicating that MCA1 and MCA2 are associated with IMC1 maturation. Compared to the parental Δku80 strain, the double-knockout strain was more readily induced from tachyzoites to bradyzoites in vitro. Furthermore, the double-knockout strain was less pathogenic in mice and was able to develop bradyzoites in the brain, which formed cysts and established chronic infection.ConclusionMCA1 and MCA2 are important factors which participate in IMC1 maturation and endodyogeny of T. gondii. The double-knockout strain has slower proliferation and was able to develop bradyzoites both in vitro and in vivo.Graphic abstract

Highlights

Metacaspases are multifunctional proteins found in plants, fungi and protozoa, and are involved in processes such as insoluble protein aggregate clearance and cell proliferation
The CRISPR Screen Value was −2.74 for MCA1, −3.93 for MCA2, and −2.97 for MCA3, indicating that all three genes are functionally important to parasites
MCA1 was localized in the cytoplasm and on the inner membrane complex (IMC), with some punctate aggregation of TgMCA1 colocalized with TgIMC1 (Fig. 1a)

Summary

Introduction

Metacaspases are multifunctional proteins found in plants, fungi and protozoa, and are involved in processes such as insoluble protein aggregate clearance and cell proliferation. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites, as single-celled eukaryotes, undergo binary divisions, including karyokinesis and cytokinesis, in a process termed endodyogeny [1,2,3], where two daughter cells are assembled simultaneously within one mother cell using a scaffold known as the inner membrane complex (IMC) [4]. The subpellicular network (SPN) beneath the alveoli consists of interwoven 8–10 nm filaments, which confer strength and stability to the parasite. These filaments are known as alveolins, and the first alveolin identified by Apicomplexa researchers was IMC1 (inner membrane complex 1) localized to the SPN [8]. At later stages of daughter cell maturation, a 5 kDa peptide is removed from the C-terminus of IMC1 by a proteolytic process, allowing for the maturation of IMC1 with greater stability and mechanical strength to maintain cell shape and integrity [9]

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