Journal Article

Molecular and biological analysis revealed genetic diversity and high virulence strain of Toxoplasma gondii in Japan

Matsui, Toshihiro, Nagamune, Kisaburo, Matsuo, Tomohide, Murakami, Mami, Takeuchi, Fumihiko, Yamano, Akinori, Masatani, Tatsunori, Tahara, Michiru, Kyan, Hisako, Sakura, Takaya, Takashima, Yasuhiro, Matsubara, Ryuma, Matsuzaki, Motomichi, Fukumoto, Junpei

2020

Overview

Toxoplasma gondii is classified into 16 haplogroups based on a worldwide genotyping study of the parasite. However, only a few isolates from Japan were included in this analysis. To conduct more precise genotyping of T. gondii, we examined the genotypes of Japanese isolates in this study. DNA sequences of 6 loci were determined in 17 Japanese isolates and compared with those of strains of 16 haplogroups. As a result, Japanese isolates were classified into four groups. We investigated the virulence of some Japanese isolates and found a highly virulent strain in mice, comparable to that of RH strain, although this Japanese isolate was sister to strains of haplogroup 2, which show moderate virulence in mice. We further investigated whether this high virulence isolate had different virulence mechanism and strategy to adapt to Japanese host from other strains by comparing the virulence-related genes, ROP5, 18 and the immunomodulatory gene, ROP16 of the isolate with those of archetypical strains (GT1, ME49 and VEG). This analysis indicated the high virulence of the isolate in mice was partly explained by gene sequences of ROP5 and ROP16. These findings lead to the elucidation of biodiversity of T. gondii and have potential to optimize the diagnostic protocol.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Alleles / Animal diseases / Animals / Biodiversity / Biological analysis / Biology and Life Sciences / Brain research / Cloning / Comparative analysis / Computer and Information Sciences / Deoxyribonucleic acid / Diagnostic systems / DNA / DNA sequencing / Drug therapy / Earth Sciences / Environmental science / Gene sequencing / Genes / Genetic analysis / Genetic diversity / Genetic Variation / Genomes / Genotype / Genotypes / Genotyping / Humans / Hypotheses / Immunomodulation / Immunomodulators / Infections / Infectious diseases / Japan / Kinases / Laboratories / Livestock / Medicine and Health Sciences / Mice / Nucleotide sequence / Parasites / Parasitology / Phylogeny / Pore size / Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - genetics / Protozoa / Protozoan Proteins - genetics / Research and Analysis Methods / Strains (organisms) / Toxoplasma - genetics / Toxoplasma - pathogenicity / Toxoplasma gondii / Toxoplasmosis - genetics / Toxoplasmosis - parasitology / Toxoplasmosis, Animal - genetics / Toxoplasmosis, Animal - parasitology / Veterinary medicine / Virulence / Virulence (Microbiology) / Virulence - genetics