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Regulation of apicomplexan actin-based motility

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 4, pages 621–628 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Apicomplexan parasites are an ancient group of protozoan parasites that includes several significant pathogens of humans and animals. To target and invade host cells they use a unique form of actin-based motility, called gliding motility. At the centre of the molecular motor that underlies this unique mode of locomotion are short, highly dynamic actin filaments. Recent molecular work, along with the availability of completed genomes for several Apicomplexa, has highlighted unique features of parasite actin and its regulation ? features that might provide new ways to block motility and, consequently, prevent infection and disease.

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Figure 1: Mechanisms of actin-based motility in microorganisms.
Figure 2: Model for apicomplexan gliding motility.
Figure 3: An overview of common eukaryote actin-binding proteins.
Figure 4: Aspects of apicomplexan actin.

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Acknowledgements

We apologize to many researches in this area who, because of the limits of space, we have not been able to cite directly. We are grateful to T. Nebl and O. Bernard for their comments on the manuscript, to B. Smith for generating the 3D-actin model and the anonymous reviewers for pointing out missing data in our initial analysis. Preliminary genomic data for T. gondii were accessed via http://ToxoDB.org and are provided by The Institute for Genomic Research (supported by a National Institutes of Health grant) and by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. J.B. is funded by a Peter Doherty research fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). A.F.C. is a Howard Hughes International Research Scholar. This work was funded by the NHMRC and the Wellcome Trust.

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  1. Jake Baum and Anthony T. Papenfuss: These authors contributed equally to this work

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  1. Division of Infection and Immunity,

    Jake Baum, Anthony T. Papenfuss, Terence P. Speed & Alan F. Cowman

  2. Division of Bioinformatics, in The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3050, Victoria, Australia

    Jake Baum, Anthony T. Papenfuss, Terence P. Speed & Alan F. Cowman

  3. Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 91 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7BS, UK

    Buzz Baum

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DATABASES

Entrez Genome Project

Cryptosporidium parvum

Drosophila melanogaster

Leishmania major

Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium yoelii

Theileria annulata

Toxoplasma gondii

FURTHER INFORMATION

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute protozoan genome sequencing projects

ToxoDB

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Baum, J., Papenfuss, A., Baum, B. et al. Regulation of apicomplexan actin-based motility. Nat Rev Microbiol 4, 621–628 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1465

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