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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-γ-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity
Published on: March 12, 2015
Toxoplasma gondii: siRNA can mediate the suppression of adenosine kinase expression
Li Yu1, Yu-Feng Gao, Zeng-Pei Qiao
1Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Department of Pathobiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, PR China.
Abstract:
Adenosine kinase (AK) is one of the most important enzymes in the Toxoplasma gondii purine salvage pathway. Three siRNAs specific to the AK gene were designed in the present study. At 24h following electroporation, two of them (siRNA786 and siRNA1200) significantly reduced the mRNA level compared with mock electroporation (P <0.05). The ability to incorporate [3H]-adenosine in the parasites electroporated with 4 microM siRNA786 or 4 microM siRNA1200 was decreased to 39+/-11% and 39+/-7% of the mock electroporation, respectively. At the 48th hour of electroporation, the enzyme's activity was still significantly lower than that of mock electroporation. The data show the siRNAs transfected into cells can work efficiently to regulate gene expression in T. gondii. The application of siRNA in interrupting gene expression in T. gondii would be useful for elucidating gene function as a step toward development of anti-toxoplasmasis vaccines and therapeutic reagents.
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