Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 15 December 2006:
Vol. 314. no. 5806, p. 1653
DOI: 10.1126/science.314.5806.1653i
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

This Week in Science

Figure 1 Little is known about the molecular determinants of virulence in eukaryotic pathogens like Toxoplasma gondii and malaria. Progress has been hampered by inefficient genetic tools, large genomes, and complex life cycles. Using forward genetic analysis, Taylor et al. (p. 1776) and Saeij et al. (p. 1780) show that a few clustered genes on a single chromosome control the dramatic difference seen in the virulence of natural lineages of the parasite T. gondii. The most important of these genes encodes a conserved serine/threonine kinase that is injected into the host cell. Although this process is reminiscent of type III secretion in bacteria, it is mechanistically and evolutionarily distinct.

CREDIT: TAYLOR ET AL.




ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)