Controlling mechanism of host by endosymbiont organelle derived from plant

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: "Matryoshka"-type evolution of eukaryotes
• Project/Area Number: 23117007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: NAGAMUNE KISABURO 国立感染症研究所, 寄生動物部, 室長 (90314418)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NISHIKAWA Yoshihumi 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 准教授 (90431395) ; KATO Kentaro 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 特任准教授 (30401178)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: アピコンプレクサ / 植物ホルモン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I found that apicomplexan parasites, such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium have ability to produce some plant hormones. Especially, Plasmodium had high concentration of salicylic acid and we investigated the role in malarial parasites.
I also found that an inhibitor of biosynthesis of abscisic acid inhibited the proliferation of not only Toxoplasma, but also relative parasite, Neospora. Further, I found a chemical which inhibited the growth of tissue cyst of Toxoplasma.

Free Research Field

寄生虫学