Toxoplasma histone acetylation remodelers as novel drug targets.

VANAGAS, L; JEFFERS, V; BOGADO, SS; DALMASSO, MC; SULLIVAN, WJ JR.; ANGEL, SO

EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY

EXPERT REVIEWS

Año: 2012 vol. 10 p. 1189 - 1201

1478-7210

Toxoplasma is able to differentiate from the rapidly replicating tachyzoite stage (active form) into a latent cyst form (bradyzoite stage). The tachyzoite–bradyzoite interconversion includes important morphological and physiological changes that require modulation of stage-specifi c gene expression [16] . Epigenetics, which includes post-translational modifi cations (PTMs) of histones as well as histone variant replacement [17] , has arisen as a central player in the regulation of gene expression in apicomplexan parasites. The goal of this review is to summarize the knowledge about the modulation of histone acetylation and deacetylation in Toxoplasma , and how the inhibition of these processes alters parasite biology. Finally, the authors discuss the rationale of using drugs that target enzymes regulating these processes as a novel therapy against this important parasite.