QuickView for gra7 protein toxoplasma gondii (biogroup)

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Description:: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan protozoan parasite, with a complex lifestyle involving varied hosts. It has two phases of growth: an intestinal phase in feline hosts, and an extra-intestinal phase in other mammals. Oocysts from infected cats develop into tachyzoites, and eventually, bradyzoites and zoitocysts in the extraintestinal host. Transmission of the parasite occurs through contact with infected cats or raw/undercooked meat; in immunocompromised individuals, it can cause severe and often lethal toxoplasmosis. Acute infection in healthy humans can sometimes also cause tissue damage.The protozoan utilises a variety of secretory and antigenic proteins to invade a host and gain access to the intracellular environment. These originate from distinct organelles in the T. gondii cell termed micronemes, rhoptries, and dense granules. They are released at specific times during invasion to ensure the proteins are allocated to their correct target destinations. Dense granule antigens (GRAs) are released from the T. gondii tachyzoitewhile still encapsulated in a host vacuole. Gra7, one of these moieties, is believed to be secreted by the parasite during the late phase of intra-vacuolar habitation. Studies utilising immunogold labelling have localised Gra7 to the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane, and the network tubules formed by the Gra2/4/6 complex. It has been suggested that dense granule antigens stimulate humoral immunity in the host. A homologue of Gra7 is found in Neospora caninum.

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