Since little is known about the Toxoplasma gondii genome, in his second iBiology seminar, Lourido explains how his lab developed CRISPR tools to study apicomplexan biology. His lab designed a strain of T. gondii constitutively expressing Cas9 that can be used in conjunction with guide libraries to identify biologically significant genes. Lourido explains how his lab used this system to identify genes encoding proteins necessary for apicomplexan invasion. These include a claudin-like protein, that they are calling CLAMP, that is conserved across apicomplexa and is necessary for invasion by both toxoplasma and the parasites that cause malaria.
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Toxoplasma gondii: A Model Apicomplexan
Sebastian Lourido explains why Toxoplasma gondii is an excellent system to study Apicomplexa, the phylum that includes the parasites that cause toxoplasmosis, malaria, and cryptosporidiosis. (Talk recorded in November 2017)
- Part 1: Toxoplasma gondii: A Model ApicomplexanAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 29:52 - Part 2: Genetic Approaches to Study Toxoplasma gondiiAudience:
- Researcher
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 28:58