Sex in a dish: high-efficiency Toxoplasma pre-sexual development

Trends Parasitol. 2024 Mar;40(3):209-210. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.01.009. Epub 2024 Feb 3.

Abstract

Antunes et al. successfully grew cat-restricted stages of Toxoplasma gondii in cell culture by targeting parasite epigenetics and transcription factors. The highlight of this report is how efficiently parasites convert to these pre-sexual stages. Their work is an important step toward achieving feline-free recapitulation of the T. gondii sexual cycle.

Keywords: ApiAP2; Toxoplasma gondii; life stage transition; merozoite.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cats
  • Parasites*
  • Sexual Development
  • Toxoplasma* / genetics