The ROP18 Toxoplasma Virulence Gene
Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics , Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics by ruth on December 15, 2006

ROP18, the T. gondii virulence gene identified by researchers, makes a protein that belongs to a class of signaling factors known as kinases that are ubiquitous in human biology.
Inside the host cell, ROP18 presumably disrupts some important signaling process, altering the intracellular environment in a way that favors the parasite's growth and reproduction. [The author] notes that ROP18's primary role in T. gondii virulence suggests that similar genes in malaria parasites may be worthy of further study.
These findings may pave the way in developing further therapeutic strategies for the treatment of toxoplasmosis, and other pathogens bearing ROP18 equivalent genes.
[Photo: Toxoplasma gondii, Source: WUSTL]
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genomics genetics toxoplasmosis pregnancy toxoplasma biotech virulence+gene rop18+toxoplasma
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