Special thanks to Dr. Peter Bradley for the antibody to detect the T. gondii mitochondria. The work was supported by National Institute of Health Grants AI072028 and AI107431 to D.G.M and a generous donation to New York Medical College for the study of tropical medicine.

The authors have no competing financial interests.

The described protocol provides a non-biased approach that uses activation of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages and forward genetics to isolate T. gondii mutants with a defect in their ability to survive activation of infected macrophages. The phenotype of the mutants following macrophage activation typically falls into one of two broad categories: 1) The parasites appear intact but fail to replicate beyond 1 parasite per PV; 2) The parasites appear degraded and may be in spacious, amorphous PVs. The fact t...

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular, protozoal pathogen. It is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a health hazard in immunocompromised individuals. It is also the model system for other apicomplexan pathogens that infect humans including Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora. Toxoplasmosis is most commonly acquired through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bradyzoite or oocyst stage of the parasite. Upon ingestion, these stages convert to the tachyzoite stage of the parasite that replicates within host cells and disseminates systemically. T cells, IFN-&#947; and, to a lesser extent, nitric oxide 1-4, are important for control of infection but are not capable of eliminating the disease, as a proportion of tachyzoites convert to the bradyzoite stage that are protected within tissue cysts resulting in a long-lived chronic infection. In fact, there are no therapeutics effective against the chronic cyst stage of the disease. Severe toxoplasmosis is most often due to the reactivation of persistent infection, with the bradyzoite stage of the parasite converting back to the rapidly replicating tachyzoite stage characteristic of primary and acute infection.
Early survival in the face of the innate immune response is important to allow the parasite to reach sufficient parasite numbers, as well as to reach distal sites, to enable establishment of chronic infection. T. gondii has evolved strategies to counteract host defense mechanisms that likely contribute to its ability to replicate and disseminate early in infection. First, T. gondii forms a unique PV during parasite invasion that is largely segregated from the endocytic and exocytic processes of the host cell compared to other intracellular pathogens 5-9. Also, like all successful intracellular pathogens T. gondii modifies its host cell to create a permissive environment for growth. This includes reprogramming host cell gene expression by altering host cell transcription factors including those important for regulating cell activation 10-15. ROP16 16-19, GRA15 20, GRA16 21 and GRA24 22 have all been shown to be important in regulating the transcriptional response and cell signaling cascades of host cells infected with T. gondii. Recent studies using genetic crosses between parasite strains with distinct phenotypes have been highly productive in identifying parasite genes that underlie parasite genotype-dependent traits including evasion of immunity related GTPases (IRGs) 16,19,23-26. In mice, immunity related GTPases (IRGs) are critical for the control of Type II and III genotypes of the parasite while the very virulent Type I genotypes have evolved mechanisms to evade the murine IRGs. However, it is also clear that the parasite has evolved mechanisms to evade antimicrobial mediators in addition to the IRGs and that some of these mechanisms may be conserved across parasite genotypes 27,28. In addition, very little is known about the critical mediators of cell autonomous immunity against T. gondii during human toxoplasmosis. Parasite genes important for resistance to mediators of cell autonomous immunity may also be important for survival during tachyzoite to bradyzoite conversion which can also be triggered by host immune responses. For example, nitric oxide at high levels can suppress parasite replication in infected macrophages but it can also stimulate tachyzoite to bradyzoite conversion resulting in cyst production30-32.
ToxoDB is a functional genomic database for T. gondii that functions as a critical resource for the field in terms of providing sequence information for the parasite genome and access to published and unpublished genomic scale data including community annotations, gene expression and proteomics data 33. Similar to many protozoal pathogens, the majority of the genome consists of hypothetical genes with no information available based on gene homology to provide insight into their potential functions. Thus, forward genetics is a powerful tool to identify novel parasite genes important for immune evasion, cyst conversion and other functions critical for parasite pathogenesis as well as for conversion between distinct developmental stages. An additional strength of forward genetics is that it can be used as a relatively non-biased approach to interrogate the parasite as to the genes that are important for specific tasks in pathogenesis, including immune evasion and cyst formation. Recent improvements in next generation sequencing for mutational profiling have made it a method of choice for identifying the responsible parasite genes from forward genetics studies using both chemical and insertional mutagenesis 34-37.
It is important to identify vulnerabilities in T. gondii that can be exploited to enhance the effectiveness of cell autonomous immune mechanisms against the parasite particularly those that may also be active against the resistant cyst stage. Toward this aim, an in vitro murine macrophage infection and activation model was developed to identify mutations in the parasite that specifically impair T. gondii fitness following activation of infected macrophages but not in na&#239;ve macrophages. This macrophage screen was used to interrogate a library of T. gondii insertional mutants in order to ultimately identify T. gondii genes important for resistance to nitric oxide 27,28. The isolation of a panel of T. gondii mutants with impaired resistance to activation of infected macrophages, particularly a marked sensitivity to nitric oxide, proved the utility of the screen to identify parasite genes important for resistance to mediators of cell autonomous immunity other than the resistance mechanisms described for the murine IRGs 28. Insertional mutagenesis has advantages over chemical mutagenesis in terms of generating a limited number of random mutations in each parasite clone and, in theory, easier identification of the site of mutation. However, identifying the genomic site of plasmid insertion in T. gondii insertional mutants, in practice, has been surprisingly difficult in many cases 37. Insertion of a plasmid into a gene is also likely to disrupt the function of a gene in contrast to chemical mutagenesis that typically results in single nucleotide changes. However, chemical mutagenesis with either N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) or ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS) may offer an increased ability to analyze a larger portion of the parasite genome, compared to insertional mutagenesis, as it creates multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (estimated at 10 -100) per mutant34,38. Moreover, recent advances in whole genome profiling has made it possible to use next generation sequencing to identify the most likely candidate genes responsible for the identified phenotype of a mutated parasite 34,38. Regardless of the mutagenesis approach, confirmation of the role of the parasite gene in resistance to macrophage activation ultimately requires gene deletion and complementation to fulfill molecular Koch&#8217;s postulates.
The ability to dissect the function of a gene by genetic manipulation of both the parasite and the macrophage is important as many of the genes identified via forward genetics in T. gondii, as well as other pathogens, are still characterized as hypothetical genes with little to no sequence homology to other proteins with known functions. The current paper outlines a general approach that can be used to identify whether the disrupted gene in a mutant is important for resistance to a known or unknown mediator of cell autonomous immunity. The initial analysis of host antimicrobial factors is performed by evaluating the survival of wild type and mutant parasites in macrophages from wild type mice versus those with specific gene deletions in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), gp-91 phox (NADPH oxidase), and specific immunity related GTPases (IRGs). This will determine if the identified parasite genes are important for resistance to nitric oxide, reactive oxygen intermediates or immunity related GTPases 28 respectively or if an unknown immune mechanism is involved. Activation of infected macrophages with both IFN-&#947; and LPS, described in the current protocol, results primarily in the isolation of parasite genes important for resistance to nitric oxide 28. The use of pharmacological agents that induce nitric oxide in the absence of macrophage activation (nitric oxide donors) confirmed that the majority of the genes identified were important for resistance to nitric oxide rather than nitric oxide in concert with additional mediators associated with macrophage activation 28.
Step one and two describe a forward genetics screen designed to isolate parasite mutants with a fitness defect following activation of infected bone marrow-derived macrophages in vitro. Step one describes a dose titration analysis to empirically determine a dose of IFN- &#947;&#160; and LPS to use for macrophage activation that reduces parasite replication but does not fully inhibit replication of the wild type T. gondii parental strain that is used for creation of the library of parasite mutants. Step two describes the forward genetic screen of the mutant clones in macrophages in 96-well plates. Step three outlines an approach to confirm the phenotype of each mutant identified in the screen of the 96 well plates and to evaluate whether the defect in each mutant affects parasite survival, replication, or cyst production in response to macrophage activation. Step four describes the use of bone marrow-derived macrophages from mice with deletions in specific antimicrobial pathways to identify the immune mediators to which the parasite mutant is specifically susceptible. Step five outlines an approach to determine if a parasite mutant is also compromised for in vivo pathogenesis as evaluated by cyst production in the brains of infected mice.

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			<td>Thermo</td>
			<td>SH3003401&#160;</td>
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			<td>Thermo</td>
			<td>SH3003002</td>
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			<td>LIST biologicals</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">IFN-g</td>
			<td>Pepro Tech Inc</td>
			<td>50-813-664</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Chamber slides</td>
			<td>Thermo</td>
			<td align="right">177402</td>
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			<td>Thermo</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Alexa 488 - protein conjugation kit</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>A20181</td>
			<td>http://www.lifetechnologies.com/order/catalog/product/A10235</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">goat serum</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>ICN19135680</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Vectashield mounting media</td>
			<td>Vector Labs</td>
			<td>H1200</td>
			<td>https://www.vectorlabs.com/catalog.aspx?prodID=428</td>
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			<td>Vector Labs</td>
			<td>FL-1031</td>
			<td>https://www.vectorlabs.com/catalog.aspx?prodID=188</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Antibody to LAMP1</td>
			<td colspan="2">Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank</td>
			<td>http://dshb.biology.uiowa.edu/LAMP-1</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">LysoTracker</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>L-7526</td>
			<td>https://www.lifetechnologies.com/order/catalog/product/L7526?ICID=search-product</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">C57BL6 mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Laboratories</td>
			<td align="right">664</td>
			<td>http://jaxmice.jax.org/strain/000664.html</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">gp91 phox knock out mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Labaoratories</td>
			<td align="right">2365</td>
			<td>http://jaxmice.jax.org/strain/002365.html</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">iNOS knock out mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Laboratories</td>
			<td align="right">2609</td>
			<td>http://jaxmice.jax.org/strain/002609.html</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">sodium nitroprusside</td>
			<td>ACROS Organics</td>
			<td>AC21164-0250&#160;</td>
			<td>https://www.fishersci.com/ecomm/servlet/itemdetail?storeId=10652&#38;langId=-1&#38;catalog 
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">DETA NONOate</td>
			<td>ACROS Organics</td>
			<td>AC32865-0250</td>
			<td>https://www.fishersci.com/ecomm/servlet/itemdetail?storeId=10652&#38;langId=-1&#38;catalog 
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			<td colspan="2" height="21" style="height:21px;">Monoclonal mouse anti-Toxoplasma gondii Ab</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>10T19A</td>
			<td>http://1degreebio.org/reagents/product/1069274/?qid=652947</td>
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forward genetics screens using macrophages to identify toxoplasma gondii genes important for resistance to ifn-&#947;-dependent cell autonomous immunity

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen. The parasite invades and replicates within virtually any warm blooded vertebrate cell type. During parasite invasion of a host cell, the parasite creates a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that originates from the host cell membrane independent of phagocytosis within which the parasite replicates. While IFN-dependent-innate and cell mediated immunity is important for eventual control of infection, innate immune cells, including neutrophils, monocytes and dendritic cells, can also serve as vehicles for systemic dissemination of the parasite early in infection. An approach is described that utilizes the host innate immune response, in this case macrophages, in a forward genetic screen to identify parasite mutants with a fitness defect in infected macrophages following activation but normal invasion and replication in na&#239;ve macrophages. Thus, the screen isolates parasite mutants that have a specific defect in their ability to resist the effects of macrophage activation. The paper describes two broad phenotypes of mutant parasites following activation of infected macrophages: parasite stasis versus parasite degradation, often in amorphous vacuoles. The parasite mutants are then analyzed to identify the responsible parasite genes specifically important for resistance to induced mediators of cell autonomous immunity. The paper presents a general approach for the forward genetics screen that, in theory, can be modified to target parasite genes important for resistance to specific antimicrobial mediators. It also describes an approach to evaluate the specific macrophage antimicrobial mediators to which the parasite mutant is susceptible. Activation of infected macrophages can also promote parasite differentiation from the tachyzoite to bradyzoite stage that maintains chronic infection. Therefore, methodology is presented to evaluate the importance of the identified parasite gene to establishment of chronic infection.

Toxoplasma gondii replicates freely in na&#239;ve macrophages and has a doubling time between 6-12 hr&#160;depending on the strain of the parasite. Figure 1 shows representative parasites in na&#239;ve versus activated bone marrow-derived macrophages. Figure 2 shows the general morphology of parasites in HFF host cells at 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 parasites/PV. In the current protocol, the parasite is allowed to invade na&#239;ve macrophages and establish a nascent parasitophorous vacu...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-Î³-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity at JoVE

Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-&amp;#947;-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity

Forward genetics is a powerful approach to identify genes in intracellular pathogens important for resistance to cell autonomous immunity. The current approach uses innate immune cells, specifically macrophages, to identify novel Toxoplasma gondii genes important for immune evasion.

Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-&#947;-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen. The parasite invades and replicates within ...

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11.0K Views.  New York Medical College. Forward genetics is a powerful approach to identify genes in intracellular pathogens important for resistance to cell autonomous immunity. The current approach uses innate immune cells, specifically macrophages, to identify novel Toxoplasma gondii genes important for immune evasion. 

Video: Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-&#947;-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity

Obtaining Highly Purified Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts by a Discontinuous Cesium Chloride Gradient

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen that commonly infects humans. It is a well characterized apicomplexan associated with causing food- and water-borne disease outbreaks. The definitive host is the feline species where sexual replication occurs resulting in the development of the highly infectious and environmentally resistant oocyst. Infection occurs via ingestion of tissue cysts from contaminated meat or oocysts from soil or water. Infection is typically asymptomatic in healthy individuals, but results in a life-long latent infection that can reactivate causing toxoplasmic encephalitis and death if the individual becomes immunocompromised. Meat contaminated with T. gondii cysts have been the primary source of infection in Europe and the United States, but recent changes in animal management and husbandry practices and improved food handling and processing procedures have significantly reduced the prevalence of T. gondii cysts in meat1, 2. Nonetheless, seroprevalence in humans remains relatively high suggesting that exposure from oocyst contaminated soil or water is likely. Indeed, waterborne outbreaks of toxoplasmosis have been reported worldwide supporting the theory exposure to the environmental oocyst form poses a significant health risk3-5. To date, research on understanding the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the water and environment are limited due to the lack of tools to detect oocysts in the environment 5, 6. This is primarily due to the lack of efficient purification protocols for obtaining large numbers of highly purified T gondii oocysts from infected cats for research purposes. This study describes the development of a modified CsCl method that easily purifies T. gondii oocysts from feces of infected cats that are suitable for molecular biological and tissue culture manipulation7.

Obtaining Highly Purified Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts by a Discontinuous Cesium Chloride Gradient

This study describes the development of a modified CsCl method that easily purifies T. gondii oocysts from feces of infected cats that are suitable for molecular biological and tissue culture manipulation

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen that commonly infects humans. It is a well characterized apicomplexan associated with ...

Toxoplasma gondii Cyst Wall Formation in Activated Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages and Bradyzoite Conditions

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that can invade any nucleated cell of warm-blooded animals. During infection, T. gondii disseminates as a fast replicating form called the tachyzoite. Tachyzoites convert into a slow-growing encysted form called the bradyzoite by a signaling process that is not well characterized. Within animals, bradyzoite cysts are found in the central nervous system and muscle tissue and represent the chronic stage of infection. Conversion to bradyzoites can be simulated in tissue culture by CO2 starvation, using medium with high a pH, or the addition of interferon gamma (IFN&gamma;). Bradyzoites are characterized by the presence of a cyst wall, to which the lectin Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA) binds. Fluorescently labeled DBA is used to visualize the cyst wall in parasites grown in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) that have been exposed to low CO2 and high pH medium. Similarly, parasites residing in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) display a cyst wall detectable by DBA after the BMMs are activated with IFN&gamma; and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This protocol will demonstrate how to induce conversion of T. gondii to bradyzoites using a high pH growth medium with low CO2 and activation of BMMs. Host cells will be cultured on coverslips, infected with tachyzoites and either activated with addition of IFN&gamma; and LPS (BMMs) or exposed to a high pH growth medium (HFFs) for three days. Upon completion of infections, host cells will be fixed, permeabilized, and blocked. Cyst walls will be visualized using rhodamine DBA with fluorescence microscopy.

Toxoplasma gondii Cyst Wall Formation in Activated Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages and Bradyzoite Conditions

Toxoplasma gondii converts to a cyst form in response to environmental stresses, which can be mimicked in tissue culture models. This video demonstrates techniques to examine cyst wall formation by activating bone marrow-derived macrophages or changing growth medium pH in fibroblast cells.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that can invade any nucleated cell of warm-blooded animals. During infection, T. gondii ...

Transnuclear Mice with Pre-defined T Cell Receptor Specificities Against Toxoplasma gondii Obtained Via SCNT

Lymphocytes, such as T cells, undergo genetic V(D)J recombination, to generate a receptor with a certain specificity1. Mice transgenic for a rearranged antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) have been an indispensable tool to study T cell development and function. However, such TCRs are usually isolated from the relevant T cells after long-term culture often following repeated antigen stimulation, which unavoidably selects for T cells with high affinity. Random genomic integration of the TCR &alpha;- and &beta;-chain and expression from non-endogenous promoters can lead to variations in expression level and kinetics.
Epigenetic reprogramming via somatic cell nuclear transfer provides a tool to generate embryonic stem cells and mice from any cell of interest. Consequently, when SCNT is applied to T cells of known specificity, these genetic V(D)J rearrangements are transferred to the SCNT-embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and the mice derived from them, while epigenetic marks are reset. We have demonstrated that T cells with pre-defined specificities against Toxoplasma gondii can be used to generate mouse models that express the specific TCR from their endogenous loci, without experimentally introduced genetic modification. The relative ease and speed with which such transnuclear models can be obtained holds promise for the construction of other disease models.

Transnuclear Mice with Pre-defined T Cell Receptor Specificities Against Toxoplasma gondii Obtained Via SCNT

We demonstrate here that epigenetic reprogramming via Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) can be used as a tool to generate mouse models with pre-defined T cell receptor (TCR) specificities. These transnuclear mice express the corresponding TCR from their endogenous locus under the control of the endogenous promoter.

Lymphocytes, such as T cells, undergo genetic V(D)J recombination, to generate a receptor with a certain specificity1. Mice transgenic for a rearranged ...

Selection of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites for Cytoadhesion to Human Brain Endothelial Cells

Most human malaria deaths are caused by blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Cerebral malaria, the most life-threatening complication of the disease, is characterised by an accumulation of Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells (iRBC) at pigmented trophozoite stage in the microvasculature of the brain2-4. This microvessel obstruction (sequestration) leads to acidosis, hypoxia and harmful inflammatory cytokines (reviewed in 5). Sequestration is also found in most microvascular tissues of the human body2, 3. The mechanism by which iRBC attach to the blood vessel walls is still poorly understood.
The immortalized Human Brain microvascular Endothelial Cell line (HBEC-5i) has been used as an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier6. However, Plasmodium falciparum iRBC attach only poorly to HBEC-5i in vitro, unlike the dense sequestration that occurs in cerebral malaria cases. We therefore developed a panning assay to select (enrich) various P. falciparum strains for adhesion to HBEC-5i in order to obtain populations of high-binding parasites, more representative of what occurs in vivo.
A sample of a parasite culture (mixture of iRBC and uninfected RBC) at the pigmented trophozoite stage is washed and incubated on a layer of HBEC-5i grown on a Petri dish. After incubation, the dish is gently washed free from uRBC and unbound iRBC. Fresh uRBC are added to the few iRBC attached to HBEC-5i and incubated overnight. As schizont stage parasites burst, merozoites reinvade RBC and these ring stage parasites are harvested the following day. Parasites are cultured until enough material is obtained (typically 2 to 4 weeks) and a new round of selection can be performed. Depending on the P. falciparum strain, 4 to 7 rounds of selection are needed in order to get a population where most parasites bind to HBEC-5i. The binding phenotype is progressively lost after a few weeks, indicating a switch in variant surface antigen gene expression, thus regular selection on HBEC-5i is required to maintain the phenotype.
In summary, we developed a selection assay rendering P. falciparum parasites a more "cerebral malaria adhesive" phenotype. We were able to select 3 out of 4 P. falciparum strains on HBEC-5i. This assay has also successfully been used to select parasites for binding to human dermal and pulmonary endothelial cells. Importantly, this method can be used to select tissue-specific parasite populations in order to identify candidate parasite ligands for binding to brain endothelium. Moreover, this assay can be used to screen for putative anti-sequestration drugs7.

Selection of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites for Cytoadhesion to Human Brain Endothelial Cells

An in vitro model for cerebral malaria sequestration is described1. Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells are selected for binding to immortalized human brain microvascular endothelial cells. The selected parasites show a distinct phenotype. The selection process can be applied using various P. falciparum strains and endothelial cell lines.

Most human malaria deaths are caused by blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Cerebral malaria, the most life-threatening complication of the ...

A Genetic Screen to Isolate Toxoplasma gondii Host-cell Egress Mutants

The widespread, obligate intracellular, protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes opportunistic disease in immuno-compromised patients and causes birth defects upon congenital infection. The lytic replication cycle is characterized by three stages: 1. active invasion of a nucleated host cell; 2. replication inside the host cell; 3. active egress from the host cell. The mechanism of egress is increasingly being appreciated as a unique, highly regulated process, which is still poorly understood at the molecular level. The signaling pathways underlying egress have been characterized through the use of pharmacological agents acting on different aspects of the pathways1-5. As such, several independent triggers of egress have been identified which all converge on the release of intracellular Ca2+, a signal that is also critical for host cell invasion6-8. This insight informed a candidate gene approach which led to the identification of plant like calcium dependent protein kinase (CDPK) involved in egress9. In addition, several recent breakthroughs in understanding egress have been made using (chemical) genetic approaches10-12. To combine the wealth of pharmacological information with the increasing genetic accessibility of Toxoplasma we recently established a screen permitting the enrichment for parasite mutants with a defect in host cell egress13. Although chemical mutagenesis using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) or ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) has been used for decades in the study of Toxoplasma biology11,14,15, only recently has genetic mapping of mutations underlying the phenotypes become routine16-18. Furthermore, by generating temperature-sensitive mutants, essential processes can be dissected and the underlying genes directly identified. These mutants behave as wild-type under the permissive temperature (35 &deg;C), but fail to proliferate at the restrictive temperature (40 &deg;C) as a result of the mutation in question. Here we illustrate a new phenotypic screening method to isolate mutants with a temperature-sensitive egress phenotype13. The challenge for egress screens is to separate egressed from non-egressed parasites, which is complicated by fast re-invasion and general stickiness of the parasites to host cells. A previously established egress screen was based on a cumbersome series of biotinylation steps to separate intracellular from extracellular parasites11. This method also did not generate conditional mutants resulting in weak phenotypes. The method described here overcomes the strong attachment of egressing parasites by including a glycan competitor, dextran sulfate (DS), that prevents parasites from sticking to the host cell19. Moreover, extracellular parasites are specifically killed off by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), which leaves intracellular parasites unharmed20. Therefore, with a new phenotypic screen to specifically isolate parasite mutants with defects in induced egress, the power of genetics can now be fully deployed to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying host cell egress.

A Genetic Screen to Isolate Toxoplasma gondii Host-cell Egress Mutants

Forward genetics is a powerful method to unravel the molecular level of how Toxoplasma egresses from its host cell. Protocols are provided to chemically mutagenize parasites, enrich for mutants with defects in induced egress, and validate the phenotype of cloned mutants.

The widespread, obligate intracellular, protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes opportunistic disease in immuno-compromised patients and causes birth ...

Genetic Manipulation in &Delta;ku80 Strains for Functional Genomic Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii

Targeted genetic manipulation using homologous recombination is the method of choice for functional genomic analysis to obtain a detailed view of gene function and phenotype(s). The development of mutant strains with targeted gene deletions, targeted mutations, complemented gene function, and/or tagged genes provides powerful strategies to address gene function, particularly if these genetic manipulations can be efficiently targeted to the gene locus of interest using integration mediated by double cross over homologous recombination.
Due to very high rates of nonhomologous recombination, functional genomic analysis of Toxoplasma gondii has been previously limited by the absence of efficient methods for targeting gene deletions and gene replacements to specific genetic loci. Recently, we abolished the major pathway of nonhomologous recombination in type I and type II strains of T. gondii by deleting the gene encoding the KU80 protein1,2. The &Delta;ku80 strains behave normally during tachyzoite (acute) and bradyzoite (chronic) stages in vitro and in vivo and exhibit essentially a 100% frequency of homologous recombination. The &Delta;ku80 strains make functional genomic studies feasible on the single gene as well as on the genome scale1-4.
Here, we report methods for using type I and type II &Delta;ku80&Delta;hxgprt strains to advance gene targeting approaches in T. gondii. We outline efficient methods for generating gene deletions, gene replacements, and tagged genes by targeted insertion or deletion of the hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HXGPRT) selectable marker. The described gene targeting protocol can be used in a variety of ways in &Delta;ku80 strains to advance functional analysis of the parasite genome and to develop single strains that carry multiple targeted genetic manipulations. The application of this genetic method and subsequent phenotypic assays will reveal fundamental and unique aspects of the biology of T. gondii and related significant human pathogens that cause malaria (Plasmodium sp.) and cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium).

Genetic Manipulation in &lt;em&gt;&amp;Delta;ku80&lt;/em&gt; Strains for Functional Genomic Analysis of &lt;em&gt;Toxoplasma gondii&lt;/em&gt;

Here we report a method for using type I and type II &Delta;ku80 strains of Toxoplasma gondii to efficiently generate targeted gene deletions and gene replacements for functional genomic analysis.

Targeted genetic manipulation using homologous recombination is the method of choice for functional genomic analysis to obtain a detailed view of gene ...

Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis, the etiological agent of sexually transmitted diseases and ocular infections, remains poorly characterized due to its intractability to experimental transformation with recombinant DNA. We developed an approach to perform genetic analysis in C. trachomatis&#160;despite the lack of molecular genetic tools. Our method involves: i.) chemical mutagenesis to rapidly generate comprehensive libraries of genetically-defined mutants with distinct phenotypes; ii.) whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to map the underlying genetic lesions and to find associations between mutated gene(s) and a common phenotype; iii.) generation of recombinant strains through co-infection of mammalian cells with mutant and wild type bacteria. Accordingly, we were able to establish causal relationships between genotypes and phenotypes. The coupling of chemically-induced gene variation and WGS to establish correlative genotype&#8211;phenotype associations should be broadly applicable to the large list of medically and environmentally important microorganisms currently intractable to genetic analysis.

Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis

We describe a methodology to perform genetic analysis in Chlamydia based on chemical mutagenesis and whole genome sequencing. In addition, a system for DNA exchange within infected cells is described that can be used for genetic mapping. This method may be broadly applicable to microbial systems lacking transformation systems and molecular genetic tools.

Chlamydia trachomatis, the etiological agent of sexually transmitted diseases and ocular infections, remains poorly characterized due to its ...

VIGS-Mediated Forward Genetics Screening for Identification of Genes Involved in Nonhost Resistance

Nonhost disease resistance of plants against bacterial pathogens is controlled by complex defense pathways. Understanding this mechanism is important for developing durable disease-resistant plants against wide range of pathogens. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS)-based forward genetics screening is a useful approach for identification of plant defense genes imparting nonhost resistance. Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based VIGS vector is the most efficient VIGS vector to date and has been efficiently used to silence endogenous target genes in Nicotiana benthamiana.

	In this manuscript, we demonstrate a forward genetics screening approach for silencing of individual clones from a cDNA library in N. benthamiana and assessing the response of gene silenced plants for compromised nonhost resistance against nonhost pathogens, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato T1, P. syringae pv. glycinea, and X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. These bacterial pathogens are engineered to express GFPuv protein and their green fluorescing colonies can be seen by naked eye under UV light in the nonhost pathogen inoculated plants if the silenced target gene is involved in imparting nonhost resistance. This facilitates reliable and faster identification of gene silenced plants susceptible to nonhost pathogens. Further, promising candidate gene information can be known by sequencing the plant gene insert in TRV vector. Here we demonstrate the high throughput capability of VIGS-mediated forward genetics to identify genes involved in nonhost resistance. Approximately, 100 cDNAs can be individually silenced in about two to three weeks and their relevance in nonhost resistance against several nonhost bacterial pathogens can be studied in a week thereafter. In this manuscript, we enumerate the detailed steps involved in this screening. VIGS-mediated forward genetics screening approach can be extended not only to identifying genes involved in nonhost resistance but also to studying genes imparting several biotic and abiotic stress tolerances in various plant species.

Virus-induced gene silencing is an useful tool for identifying genes involved in nonhost resistance of plants. We demonstrate the use of bacterial pathogens expressing GFPuv in identifying gene silenced plants susceptible to nonhost pathogens. This approach is easy, fast and facilitates large scale screening and similar protocol can be applied to studying various other plant-microbe interactions.


	Nonhost disease resistance of plants against bacterial pathogens is controlled by complex defense pathways. Understanding this mechanism is important ...

Using RNA-interference to Investigate the Innate Immune Response in Mouse Macrophages

Macrophages are key phagocytic innate immune cells. When macrophages encounter a pathogen, they produce antimicrobial proteins and compounds to kill the pathogen, produce various cytokines and chemokines to recruit and stimulate other immune cells, and present antigens to stimulate the adaptive immune response. Thus, being able to efficiently manipulate macrophages with techniques such as RNA-interference (RNAi) is critical to our ability to investigate this important innate immune cell. However, macrophages can be technically challenging to transfect and can exhibit inefficient RNAi-induced gene knockdown. In this protocol, we describe methods to efficiently transfect two mouse macrophage cell lines (RAW264.7 and J774A.1) with siRNA using the Amaxa Nucleofector 96-well Shuttle System and describe procedures to maximize the effect of siRNA on gene knockdown. Moreover, the described methods are adapted to work in 96-well format, allowing for medium and high-throughput studies. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we describe experiments that utilize RNAi to inhibit genes that regulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine production.

In this protocol, we describe methods to efficiently transfect murine macrophage cell lines with siRNAs using the Amaxa Nucleofector 96-well Shuttle System, stimulate the macrophages with lipopolysaccharide, and monitor the effects on inflammatory cytokine production.

Macrophages are key phagocytic innate immune cells.  When macrophages encounter a pathogen, they produce antimicrobial proteins and compounds to kill the ...

Neutrophil Isolation and Analysis to Determine their Role in Lymphoma Cell Sensitivity to Therapeutic Agents

Neutrophils are the most abundant (40% to 75%) type of white blood cells and among the first inflammatory cells to migrate towards the site of inflammation. They are key players in the innate immune system and play major roles in cancer biology. Neutrophils have been proposed as key mediators of malignant transformation, tumor progression, angiogenesis and in the modulation of the antitumor immunity; through their release of soluble factors or their interaction with tumor cells. To characterize the specific functions of neutrophils, a fast and reliable method is coveted for in vitro isolation of neutrophils from human blood. Here, a density gradient separation method is demonstrated to isolate neutrophils as well as mononuclear cells from the blood. The procedure consists of layering the density gradient solution such as Ficoll carefully above the diluted blood obtained from patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), followed by centrifugation, isolation of mononuclear layer, separation of neutrophils from RBCsby dextran then lysis of residual erythrocytes. This method has been shown to isolate neutrophils &#8805; 90 % pure. To mimic the tumor microenvironment, 3-dimensional (3D) experiments were performed using basement membrane matrix such as Matrigel. Given the short half-life of neutrophils in vitro, 3D experiments with fresh human neutrophils cannot be performed. For this reason promyelocytic HL60 cells are differentiated along the granulocytic pathway using the differentiation inducers dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and retinoic acid (RA). The aim of our experiments is to study the role of neutrophils on the sensitivity of lymphoma cells to anti-lymphoma agents. However these methods can be generalized to study the interactions of neutrophils or neutrophil-like cells with a large range of cell types in different situations.

Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cells. The isolation of neutrophils from human blood by density gradient separation method and the differentiation of human promyelocytic (HL60) cells along the granulocytic pathway are described here; to test their role on sensitivity of lymphoma cells to anti-lymphoma agents.