infocus #66 June 2022 Endomembrane interactions in microsporidian infection

Microsporidia is a group of intracellular eukaryote parasites which require a host cell to survive and reproduce. For most people these organisms do not cause harm, but infection in people with a compromised immune system (for example, due to chemotherapy or HIV-AIDS) can cause serious illness and even death.

We previously identified close association of host membranes with microsporidia and speculated that these membranes help wall off and protect the parasite. This project used microscopical techniques and knockdown of host proteins to characterise these membranes and potential mechanisms.

Previous research in the Lucocq lab demonstrated a host-endomembrane response is triggered by microsporidia-infected cells. This project aimed to investigate which membranes of the are recruited and whether this response is specific for proteins of the organism. By suppression of host cell components, we aimed to elucidate whether this response was protective to the host or beneficial for the parasites.

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