The Toxoplasma Parasitophorous Vacuole: An Evolving Host-Parasite Frontier

Abstract

The parasitophorous vacuole is a unique replicative niche for apicomplexan parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii. Derived from host plasma membrane, the vacuole is rendered nonfusogenic with the host endolysosomal system. Toxoplasma secretes numerous proteins to modify the forming vacuole, enable nutrient uptake, and set up mechanisms of host subversion. Here we describe the pathways of host-parasite interaction at the parasitophorous vacuole employed by Toxoplasma and host, leading to the intricate balance of host defence versus parasite survival.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; guanylate-binding proteins; host–pathogen interaction; immunity-related GTPases; parasitophorous vacuole; rhoptry proteins.