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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

QTL Mapping and CRISPR/Cas9 Editing to Identify a Drug Resistance Gene in Toxoplasma gondii
Published on: June 22, 2017
Demystifying a hexuronic acid ligand that recognizes Toxoplasma gondii and blocks its invasion into host cells
Balamurugan Subramani1, Chethan D Shantamurthy, Parag Maru
1Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, 411008, India. rkikkeri@iiserpune.ac.in.
Abstract:
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous eukaryotic pathogen responsible for toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. This parasite is an obligate intracellular pathogen and actively invades susceptible host cells, a process which is mediated by specific receptor-ligand interactions. Here, we have identified an unnatural 2,4-disulfated d-glucuronic acid (Di-S-GlcA), a hexuronic acid composed of heparin/heparan sulfate, as a potential carbohydrate ligand that can selectively bind to T. gondii parasites. More importantly, the gelatin conjugated Di-S-GlcA multivalent probe displayed strong inhibition of parasite entry into host cells. These results open perspective for the future use of Di-S-GlcA epitopes in biomedical applications against toxoplasmosis.
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