TY - JOUR
T1 - Toxoplasma gondii’s Basal Complex
T2 - The Other Apicomplexan Business End Is Multifunctional
AU - Gubbels, Marc Jan
AU - Ferguson, David J.P.
AU - Saha, Sudeshna
AU - Romano, Julia D.
AU - Chavan, Suyog
AU - Primo, Vincent A.
AU - Michaud, Cynthia
AU - Coppens, Isabelle
AU - Engelberg, Klemens
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Gubbels, Ferguson, Saha, Romano, Chavan, Primo, Michaud, Coppens and Engelberg.
PY - 2022/4/29
Y1 - 2022/4/29
N2 - The Apicomplexa are famously named for their apical complex, a constellation of organelles at their apical end dedicated to invasion of their host cells. In contrast, at the other end of the cell, the basal complex (BC) has been overshadowed since it is much less prominent and specific functions were not immediately obvious. However, in the past decade a staggering array of functions have been associated with the BC and strides have been made in understanding its structure. Here, these collective insights are supplemented with new data to provide an overview of the understanding of the BC in Toxoplasma gondii. The emerging picture is that the BC is a dynamic and multifunctional complex, with a series of (putative) functions. The BC has multiple roles in cell division: it is the site where building blocks are added to the cytoskeleton scaffold; it exerts a two-step stretch and constriction mechanism as contractile ring; and it is key in organelle division. Furthermore, the BC has numerous putative roles in ‘import’, such as the recycling of mother cell remnants, the acquisition of host-derived vesicles, possibly the uptake of lipids derived from the extracellular medium, and the endocytosis of micronemal proteins. The latter process ties the BC to motility, whereas an additional role in motility is conferred by Myosin C. Furthermore, the BC acts on the assembly and/or function of the intravacuolar network, which may directly or indirectly contribute to the establishment of chronic tissue cysts. Here we provide experimental support for molecules acting in several of these processes and identify several new BC proteins critical to maintaining the cytoplasmic bridge between divided parasites. However, the dispensable nature of many BC components leaves many questions unanswered regarding its function. In conclusion, the BC in T. gondii is a dynamic and multifunctional structure at the posterior end of the parasite.
AB - The Apicomplexa are famously named for their apical complex, a constellation of organelles at their apical end dedicated to invasion of their host cells. In contrast, at the other end of the cell, the basal complex (BC) has been overshadowed since it is much less prominent and specific functions were not immediately obvious. However, in the past decade a staggering array of functions have been associated with the BC and strides have been made in understanding its structure. Here, these collective insights are supplemented with new data to provide an overview of the understanding of the BC in Toxoplasma gondii. The emerging picture is that the BC is a dynamic and multifunctional complex, with a series of (putative) functions. The BC has multiple roles in cell division: it is the site where building blocks are added to the cytoskeleton scaffold; it exerts a two-step stretch and constriction mechanism as contractile ring; and it is key in organelle division. Furthermore, the BC has numerous putative roles in ‘import’, such as the recycling of mother cell remnants, the acquisition of host-derived vesicles, possibly the uptake of lipids derived from the extracellular medium, and the endocytosis of micronemal proteins. The latter process ties the BC to motility, whereas an additional role in motility is conferred by Myosin C. Furthermore, the BC acts on the assembly and/or function of the intravacuolar network, which may directly or indirectly contribute to the establishment of chronic tissue cysts. Here we provide experimental support for molecules acting in several of these processes and identify several new BC proteins critical to maintaining the cytoplasmic bridge between divided parasites. However, the dispensable nature of many BC components leaves many questions unanswered regarding its function. In conclusion, the BC in T. gondii is a dynamic and multifunctional structure at the posterior end of the parasite.
KW - MORN1
KW - Toxoplasma gondii
KW - basal complex
KW - bradyzoite
KW - cell division
KW - endodyogeny
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130032484&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130032484&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fcimb.2022.882166
DO - 10.3389/fcimb.2022.882166
M3 - Article
C2 - 35573773
AN - SCOPUS:85130032484
SN - 2235-2988
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
JF - Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
M1 - 882166
ER -