Convergent evolution of metabolic regulation governs redox adaptation in Toxoplasma

Giuliano et al have identified a novel metabolic regulator in the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The protein was named TgPRO for T. gondii Parasite Response to Oxidation. Metabolomic analyses by GC-MS (steady state and 13C-glucose labelling) analyzing purified parasite parasite extracts and spent media were performed, comparing TgPRO-ko parasites complemented with a second copy of either WT TgPRO (cWT) or a with a mutated domain (cMut), ablating its activity. This data is deposited here. More details regarding the sample preparation and analysis can be found below and in the contained files. The abstract of the associated study is as follows: Diverse organisms adjust metabolic gene expression during crowding as they encounter nutrient scarcity, oxidative stress, and waste accumulation. Apicomplexan parasites experience these stresses during intracellular growth in hosts, yet lack known regulators of metabolic adaptation. We screened the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii to identify genes that support parasite fitness during crowding. NAD(P)+ biosynthesis was required at high density along with several parasite-specific factors, including an RNA-binding protein we called T. gondii Parasite Response to Oxidation (TgPRO). TgPRO loss elevated reactive oxygen species under ambient conditions, which was rescued by growth at low oxygen. TgPRO regulates expression of specific transcripts involved in carbon metabolism and iron-sulfur cluster assembly. Regulation of the iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein ISCU relies on TgPRO binding to the transcript’s 3′ UTR. Through convergent evolution, TgPRO performs a role analogous to known metabolic regulators from other species, representing the first dedicated regulator of metabolic gene expression in apicomplexans. Details regarding the analysis, sample preparation, sample type and name are provided in the associated files.

Organizational unit

DSF Lab

Type

Dataset

DOI

10.26037/yareta:bmnx2dd4vvfrlh4bknwzykygea

License

Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Keywords

Toxoplasma gondii, Metabolism, Apicomplexa, Metabolic Regulator, RNA-binding Protein