Toxoplasma's Taste for Exotic Fat

PLoS Biol. 2015 Nov 13;13(11):e1002289. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002289. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

A new study reveals that an exotic lipid, phosphatidylthreonine, makes up a substantial proportion of the membrane of a widespread human parasite and is essential for its virulence. Read the Research Article.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Glycerophospholipids / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lipid Bilayers / metabolism
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism*
  • Species Specificity
  • Threonine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Threonine / metabolism
  • Toxoplasma / enzymology
  • Toxoplasma / growth & development
  • Toxoplasma / metabolism*
  • Toxoplasma / pathogenicity
  • Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) / metabolism*
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Glycerophospholipids
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • phosphatidylthreonine
  • Threonine
  • Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups)