Regulation of Starch Stores by a Ca2 -Dependent Protein Kinase Is Essential for Viable Cyst Development in Toxoplasma gondii

AD Uboldi; JM McCoy; M Blume; M Gerlic; DJP Ferguson; LF Dagley; CT Beahan; DI Stapleton; PR Gooley; A Bacic; SL Masters; AI Webb; MJ McConville; CJ Tonkin

Journal article

Regulation of Starch Stores by a Ca2 -Dependent Protein Kinase Is Essential for Viable Cyst Development in Toxoplasma gondii

AD Uboldi, JM McCoy, M Blume, M Gerlic, DJP Ferguson, LF Dagley, CT Beahan, DI Stapleton, PR Gooley, A Bacic, SL Masters, AI Webb, MJ McConville, CJ Tonkin

Cell Host and Microbe | Published : 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.11.004

Abstract

Summary Transmissible stages of Toxoplasma gondii store energy in the form of the carbohydrate amylopectin. Here, we show that the Ca2+-dependent protein kinase CDPK2 is a critical regulator of amylopectin metabolism. Increased synthesis and loss of degradation of amylopectin in CDPK2 deficient parasites results in the hyperaccumulation of this sugar polymer. A carbohydrate-binding module 20 (CBM20) targets CDPK2 to amylopectin stores, while the EF-hands regulate CDPK2 kinase activity in response to Ca2+ to modulate amylopectin levels. We identify enzymes involved in amylopectin turnover whose phosphorylation is dependent on CDPK2 activity. Strikingly, accumulation of massive amylopectin gra..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Alessandro Uboldi Author

Laura Dagley Author

Paul Gooley Author

Seth Masters Author

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Funding Acknowledgements

J.M.M. is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award. C.T.B. and A.B. acknowledge the support of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls. This work was supported by Australian NHMRC project grant (GNT1022559) and an ARC/NHMRC Future Fellowship awarded to C.J.T. S.L.M. is the recipient of an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship and VESKI Fellowship, and M.J.M. is a NHMRC Principle Research Fellow. This work was also made possible through Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support and Australian Government NHMRC IRIISS. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis; decision to publish; or preparation of the manuscript.