Toxoplasma secreting Cre recombinase for analysis of host-parasite interactions.

Koshy, Anita A; Fouts, Ashley E; Lodoen, Melissa B; Alkan, Ozan; Blau, Helen M; Boothroyd, John C · Nat Methods · 2010

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We describe a Toxoplasma gondii strain that will permit the use of site-specific recombination to study the host-parasite interactions of this organism. This Toxoplasma strain efficiently injects a Cre fusion protein into host cells. In a Cre-reporter cell line, a single parasite invasion induced Cre-mediated recombination in 95% of infected host cells. By infecting Cre-reporter mice with these parasites, we also monitored host-cell infection in vivo.

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