“Power struggles: how parasite mitochondria controls infection in the animal”
Supervisors
Lilach Sheiner, MVLS, University of Glasgow
John Worthington, Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Lancaster
Andrew E. Maclean, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow
David Smith, Moredun Research Institute
Summary
Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is life threatening in immunocompromised people and responsible for huge economic losses annually in the sheep industry due to ewe miscarriage. T. gondii dissemination into different tissues after infection is important for disease severity and transmission to new hosts. T. gondii mitochondrial functions, such as the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC) and ATP synthesis, are critical for the function of several metabolic pathways, and are thus likely important for survival in different tissues and for dissemination and persistence in the animal. Yet our understanding of the role of these mitochondrial functions during host infection is limited. This project will use our recently generated mutants with disrupted mETC and ATP synthase structures to explore the role they play in establishing infection, disseminating in the host, and differentiating into the persistent form, while linking these observations to their role in the parasite metabolic network. It is anticipated that the results of this project will enhance basic research understanding of Toxoplasma biology, which could be exploited for translational anti-Toxoplasma research development.
The student will be trained in techniques suitable for a variety of biological research jobs: molecular biology and genetic manipulation; cell biology and imaging; parasite and mammalian cell culture; and work with animal infection models.
The student will further acquire transferable skills relevant to numerous job types: critical thinking; project design and troubleshooting; team work; presentation and communication; time management; data analysis; supervision and leadership skills and more.