Institute of Cell Biology

Titleimage: Institute of Cell Biology

The Institute of Cell Biology performs cutting-edge research in molecular and cell biology to study a wide variety of topics that include Host Pathogen Interactions, Systems Biology, Epigenetics, Organelle Biogenesis and Developmental processes.

 

PLoS Biology

Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry discharge factor 3 is essential for invasion and microtubule-associated vesicle biogenesis

A new study co-led by our Ambizione fellow Gaëlle Lentini characterized rhoptry discharge factor 3 as an essential factor for invasion and microtubule-associated vesicle biogenesis in Toxoplasma gondii. This study was recently published in PLoS Biology.
In Toxoplasma gondii, the intracellular parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, rhoptries are essential organelles for invading host cells. This latest publication focuses on RDF3, a protein vital for the parasite's invasion process. RDF3 is required for the proper formation of microtubule-associated vesicles (MVs), which supply the rhoptries during repeated invasion cycles. Depletion of RDF3 disrupts these processes, highlighting its critical role in parasite virulence. Understanding the function of RDF3 could inform strategies to treat T. gondii and related parasite infections.
Figure Legend: FIB–SEM-based 3D reconstruction of a parasitophorous vacuoel containing 16 Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. Grey, nucleus; green, apicoplast; blue, parasite plasma membrane; black, conoid; yellow and red, rhoptries. ©Bohumil MACO/UNIGE

Expanding the Fluorescent Toolkit: Blue Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Plasmodium berghei for Enhanced Multiplex Microscopy

In this study, we generated two Plasmodium berghei (P. berghei) lines expressing cytosolic BFP through double crossover homologous recombination targeting the silent 230p locus: eBFP2 (PbeBFP2) and mTagBFP2 (PbmTagBFP2). Expression of BFP throughout the parasite's life cycle was driven by the robust Hsp70 promoter, ensuring stable, detectable protein levels suitable for fluorescent light analysis methods, including flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy. These lines enable simultaneous microscopy studies of proteins tagged with GFP, RFP, or detected by fluorophore-labeled antibodies, enhancing the analysis of complex biological interactions.

Kodzo Atchou, Reto Caldelari, Magali Roques, Jacqueline Schmuckli-Maurer, Raphael Beyeler, Volker Heussler