Harding, C. R. , Gow, M., Kang, J. H., Shortt, E., Manalis, S. R., Meissner, M. and Lourido, S. (2019) Alveolar proteins stabilize cortical microtubules in Toxoplasma gondii. Nature Communications, 10, 401. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-08318-7) (PMID:30674885) (PMCID:PMC6344517)
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Abstract
Single-celled protists use elaborate cytoskeletal structures, including arrays of microtubules at the cell periphery, to maintain polarity and rigidity. The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii has unusually stable cortical microtubules beneath the alveoli, a network of flattened membrane vesicles that subtends the plasmalemma. However, anchoring of microtubules along alveolar membranes is not understood. Here, we show that GAPM1a, an integral membrane protein of the alveoli, plays a role in maintaining microtubule stability. Degradation of GAPM1a causes cortical microtubule disorganisation and subsequent depolymerisation. These changes in the cytoskeleton lead to parasites becoming shorter and rounder, which is accompanied by a decrease in cellular volume. Extended GAPM1a depletion leads to severe defects in division, reminiscent of the effect of disrupting other alveolar proteins. We suggest that GAPM proteins link the cortical microtubules to the alveoli and are required to maintain the shape and rigidity of apicomplexan zoites.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This study was supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome fellowship to CRH (103972/Z/14/Z), an ERC research grant (ERC2012-StG 309255-EndoTox) and Wellcome Senior fellowship (087582/Z/08/Z) to MM, an NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (1DP5OD017892) and an NIH Exploratory R21 grant (1R21AI123746) to SL, and by the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies through a grant (W911NF-09-0001) from the US Army Research Office to SRM. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Meissner, Professor Markus and Harding, Dr Clare and Gow, Mr Matthew |
| Authors: | Harding, C. R., Gow, M., Kang, J. H., Shortt, E., Manalis, S. R., Meissner, M., and Lourido, S. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity |
| Journal Name: | Nature Communications |
| Publisher: | Nature Research |
| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2041-1723 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2019 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in Nature Communications 10(1):401 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
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