Comparative ribosome profiling uncovers a dominant role for translational control in Toxoplasma gondii

Hassan, M., Vasquez, J. J., Guo-Liang, C., Meissner, M. and Nicolai Siegel, T. (2017) Comparative ribosome profiling uncovers a dominant role for translational control in Toxoplasma gondii. BMC Genomics, 18, 961. (doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-4362-6) (PMID:29228904) (PMCID:PMC5725899)

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Abstract

Background: The lytic cycle of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which involves a brief sojourn in the extracellular space, is characterized by defined transcriptional profiles. For an obligate intracellular parasite that is shielded from the cytosolic host immune factors by a parasitophorous vacuole, the brief entry into the extracellular space is likely to exert enormous stress. Due to its role in cellular stress response, we hypothesize that translational control plays an important role in regulating gene expression in Toxoplasma during the lytic cycle. Unlike transcriptional profiles, insights into genome-wide translational profiles of Toxoplasma gondii are lacking. Methods: We have performed genome-wide ribosome profiling, coupled with high throughput RNA sequencing, in intracellular and extracellular Toxoplasma gondii parasites to investigate translational control during the lytic cycle. Results: Although differences in transcript abundance were mostly mirrored at the translational level, we observed significant differences in the abundance of ribosome footprints between the two parasite stages. Furthermore, our data suggest that mRNA translation in the parasite is potentially regulated by mRNA secondary structure and upstream open reading frames. Conclusion: We show that most of the Toxoplasma genes that are dysregulated during the lytic cycle are translationally regulated.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This work was funded partly by a Wellcome Trust (http://www.wellcome.ac.uk) Recruitment Enhancement award to MAH. MAH is supported by a University of Edinburgh Chancellors’ Fellowship. TNS was funded by a Young Investigator Program of the Research Center for Infectious Diseases (ZINF) of the University of Würzburg, and The German Research Foundation DFG (grant SI 1610/3-1). MM is a Wellcome Trust Senior fellow. The Roslin Institute receives strategic support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Keywords:Apicomplexan, RNA-sequencing, Ribosome profiling, Toxoplasma gondii, Translation efficiency
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Meissner, Professor Markus
Authors: Hassan, M., Vasquez, J. J., Guo-Liang, C., Meissner, M., and Nicolai Siegel, T.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
Journal Name:BMC Genomics
Publisher:Biomed Central
ISSN:1471-2164
ISSN (Online):1471-2164
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in BMC Genomics 18:961
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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