Striking Divergence in Toxoplasma ROP16 Nucleotide Sequences From Human and Meat Samples.
Catalina Alvarez1, Alejandra de-la-Torre2, Mónica Vargas3
1Grupo de Estudio en Parasitología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Quindio, Armenia Grupo Toxoplasmosis y Parasitología General, CIMPAT, Universidad de los Andes.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|December 25, 2014
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii ROP16 protein kinase sequences from Colombian patients with ocular toxoplasmosis predominantly matched mouse-virulent strains, suggesting ROP16 virulence relevance in human toxoplasmosis.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- ROP16 protein kinase in Toxoplasma gondii is a known virulent marker in mice.
- Its relevance in human toxoplasmosis remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic sequences of the ROP16 locus in human toxoplasmosis samples.
- To determine if ROP16 virulence markers found in mice are applicable to human infections.
Main Methods:
- DNA sequencing of the ROP16 locus from patient samples (ocular, congenital, soldiers) and meat.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against a mouse-virulent ROP16 peptide in patient sera.
Main Results:
- Significant divergence in ROP16 nucleotide sequences was observed.
- 83.3% of ocular toxoplasmosis ROP16 sequences clustered with mouse-virulent strains.
- 100% of meat ROP16 sequences clustered with mouse-avirulent strains.
- Low seropositivity (10.5%) for antibodies against the mouse-virulent peptide, with no clinical association.
Conclusions:
- Most ROP16 sequences from Colombian patients with ocular toxoplasmosis align with mouse-virulent strains.
- This suggests ROP16 may indeed be a virulence factor in human toxoplasmosis.
