No kittens required: Scientists find new way to study toxoplasmosis parasite in lab

One of the most widespread parasites on the planet can also be one of the most difficult to study. Toxoplasma gondii —a single-celled protozoan—is capable of infecting almost every mammal and bird species, including humans , and in severe cases causes blindness, birth defects, and death. Yet it only sexually reproduces inside the intestines of domestic cats and other members of the Felidae family, prompting controversial studies on kittens. Now, a research team has come up with a technique that uses gene editing of Toxoplasma to push the parasite toward sexual development in cells grown in the lab. The success is shining new light on this mysterious phase of the parasite’s life cycle—no felines required. “It’s fantastic work,” says Alex Rosenberg, a microbiologist at the University of Georgia, Athens, who was not involved in the research. “Previously we couldn’t really look at those stages of the parasite because they’re not easily accessible. … Even if you have a cat, it’s not that easy to study.” The in vitro technique, he adds, “opens a new field for us.” Toxoplasma ’s life cycle involves both an asexual phase—comprising the stages that cause disease—and a sexual phase, in feline intestines. Asexual versions of Toxoplasma are relatively easy to grow in the lab. But sexual forms are not, meaning scientists have struggled to gain a full pictur...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news