Virulence factors and resistance genes in the ecological relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and Mus musculus

Universität zu Köln 

Institut für Genetik 

Department of Cell Genetics

Köln

 

Postdoc: Marialice Ferreira da Silva

PhD students: Jingtao Li, Urs Benedikt Müller

T. gondii is a protozoal parasite of warm-blooded animals. Members of the cat family (Felidae) are primary hosts in which the organism undergoes genetic recombination: all other mammals and birds are potential intermediate hosts. However in most of the developed world the domestic cat is almost certainly the definitive host of greatest evolutionary significance, and small mammals such as Mus musculus (house mouse) the main (though certainly not exclusive) intermediate hosts. The life cycle of T. gondii relies on the establishment of chronic, largely asymptomatic infections by encysted parasites resident largely in brain and muscle of intermediate hosts. Transfer to the definitive host occurs when a cat catches and eats an infected intermediate host. It is generally agreed that, while the parasite seeks a chronic infection in the intermediate hosts, it appears to be in the host interest to establish a sterile immunity against the parasite. Our project is an attempt to understand the evolutionary processes that reconcile these conflicting interests, with particular reference to the interplay between parasite virulence factors and the IRG family of GTPases, powerful and essential resistance factors for mice against T. gondii.