Transcriptional regulation of two stage-specifically expressed genes in the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii differentially expresses two distinct enolase isoenzymes known as ENO1 and ENO2, respectively. To understand differential gene expression during tachyzoite to bradyzoite conversion, we have characterized the two T.gondii enolase promoters. No homology could be found between these sequences and no TATA or CCAAT boxes were evident. The differential activation of the ENO1 and ENO2 promoters during tachyzoite to bradyzoite differentiation was investigated by deletion analysis of 5'-flanking regions fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter followed by transient transfection. Our data indicate that in proliferating tachyzoites, the repression of ENO1 involves a negative distal regulatory region (nucleotides -1245 to -625) in the promoter whereas a proximal regulatory region in the ENO2 promoter directs expression at a low level. In contrast, the promoter activity of ENO1 is highly induced following the conversion of tachyzoites into resting bradyzoites. The ENO2 promoter analysis in bradyzoites showed that there are two upstream repression sites (nucleotides -1929 to -1067 and -456 to -222). Furthermore, electrophoresis mobility shift assays demonstrated the presence of DNA-binding proteins in tachyzoite and bradyzoite nuclear lysates that bound to stress response elements (STRE), heat shock-like elements (HSE) and other cis-regulatory elements in the upstream regulatory regions of ENO1 and ENO2. Mutation of the consensus AGGGG sequence, completely abolished protein binding to an oligonucleotide containing this element. This study defines the first characterization of cis-regulatory elements and putative transcription factors involved in gene regulation of the important pathogen T.gondii.

Nuclear glycolytic enzyme enolase of Toxoplasma gondii functions as a transcriptional regulator.

Apicomplexan parasites including Toxoplasma gondii have complex life cycles within different hosts and their infectivity relies on their capacity to regulate gene expression. However, little is known about the nuclear factors that regulate gene expression in these pathogens. Here, we report that T. gondii enolase TgENO2 is targeted to the nucleus of actively replicating parasites, where it specifically binds to nuclear chromatin in vivo. Using a ChIP-Seq technique, we provide evidence for TgENO2 enrichment at the 5' untranslated gene regions containing the putative promoters of 241 nuclear genes. Ectopic expression of HA-tagged TgENO1 or TgENO2 led to changes in transcript levels of numerous gene targets. Targeted disruption of TgENO1 gene results in a decrease in brain cyst burden of chronically infected mice and in changes in transcript levels of several nuclear genes. Complementation of this knockout mutant with ectopic TgENO1-HA fully restored normal transcript levels. Our findings reveal that enolase functions extend beyond glycolytic activity and include a direct role in coordinating gene regulation in T. gondii.

A Toxoplasma gondii leucine-rich repeat protein binds phosphatase type 1 protein and negatively regulates its activity.

We have characterized the Toxoplasma gondii protein phosphatase type 1 (TgPP1) and a potential regulatory binding protein belonging to the leucine-rich repeat protein family, designated TgLRR1. TgLRR1 is capable of binding to TgPP1 to inhibit its activity and to override a G(2)/M cell cycle checkpoint in Xenopus oocytes. In the parasite, TgLRR1 mRNA and protein are both highly expressed in the rapidly replicating and virulent tachyzoites, while only low levels are detected in the slowly dividing and quiescent bradyzoites. TgPP1 mRNA and protein levels are equally abundant in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Affinity pull down and immunoprecipitation experiments reveal that the TgLRR1-TgPP1 interaction takes place in the nuclear subcompartment of tachyzoites. These results are consistent with those of localization studies using both indirect immunofluorescence with specific polyclonal antibody and transient transfection of T. gondii vector expressing TgLRR1 and TgPP1. The inability to obtain stable transgenic tachyzoites suggested that overexpression of TgLRR1 and TgPP1 may impair the parasite's growth. Together with the activation of Xenopus oocyte meiosis reinitiation, these data indicate that TgLRR1 protein could play a role in the regulation of the T. gondii cell cycle through the modulation of phosphatase activity.