Temporal gene expression during asexual development of the apicomplexan Sarcocystis neurona .

Autor:	Dangoudoubiyam S; Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA., Norris JK; Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA., Namasivayam S; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA., de Paula Baptista R; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.; Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA., Cannes do Nascimento N; Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA., Camp J; Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA., Schardl CL; Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA., Kissinger JC; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.; Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA., Howe DK; Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	MSphere [mSphere] 2024 Jun 25; Vol. 9 (6), pp. e0011124. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 May 29.
DOI:	10.1128/msphere.00111-24
Abstrakt:	Asexual replication in the apicomplexan Sarcocystis neurona involves two main developmental stages: the motile extracellular merozoite and the sessile intracellular schizont. Merozoites invade host cells and transform into schizonts that undergo replication via endopolygeny to form multiple (64) daughter merozoites that are invasive to new host cells. Given that the capabilities of the merozoite vary significantly from the schizont, the patterns of transcript levels throughout the asexual lifecycle were determined and compared in this study. RNA-Seq data were generated from extracellular merozoites and four intracellular schizont development time points. Of the 6,938 genes annotated in the S. neurona genome, 6,784 were identified in the transcriptome. Of these, 4,111 genes exhibited significant differential expression between the merozoite and at least one schizont development time point. Transcript levels were significantly higher for 2,338 genes in the merozoite and 1,773 genes in the schizont stages. Included in this list were genes encoding the secretory pathogenesis determinants (SPDs), which encompass the surface antigen and SAG-related sequence (SAG/SRS) and the secretory organelle proteins of the invasive zoite stage (micronemes, rhoptries, and dense granules). As anticipated, many of the S. neurona SPD gene transcripts were abundant in merozoites. However, several SPD transcripts were elevated in intracellular schizonts, suggesting roles unrelated to host cell invasion and the initial establishment of the intracellular niche. The hypothetical genes that are potentially unique to the genus Sarcocystis are of particular interest. Their conserved expression patterns are instructive for future investigations into the possible functions of these putative Sarcocystis -unique genes. Importance: The genus Sarcocystis is an expansive clade within the Apicomplexa, with the species S. neurona being an important cause of neurological disease in horses. Research to decipher the biology of S. neurona and its host-pathogen interactions can be enhanced by gene expression data. This study has identified conserved apicomplexan orthologs in S. neurona , putative Sarcocystis -unique genes, and gene transcripts abundant in the merozoite and schizont stages. Importantly, we have identified distinct clusters of genes with transcript levels peaking during different intracellular schizont development time points, reflecting active gene expression changes across endopolygeny. Each cluster also has subsets of transcripts with unknown functions, and investigation of these seemingly Sarcocystis -unique transcripts will provide insights into the interesting biology of this parasite genus. Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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