'Mind-control' parasite Toxoplasma hides from the immune system with 2 key genes

 Originally published by Kamal Naha

A new study could help scientists find a cure to lifelong infections caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.  (Image credit: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images)
 

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii hides in up to half of humans (opens in new tab), although it rarely causes symptoms. But when it infects mice, the single-cell organism can exert a kind of "mind control" to change the rodents' behavior and help itself spread. 

Now, researchers report being one step closer to curing T. gondii infections in humans, which can be lifelong due to the parasite's ability to morph into a dormant, defensive state. Two transcription factors — proteins that switch genes "on" and "off" — lie at the root of this metamorphosis, and the discovery opens avenues to block the process.

Often dubbed the "mind-control parasite," T. gondii takes over the minds (opens in new tab) of infected mice and steers them towards cats to become their next meal. This enables the parasites to jump into our feline friends, the only known hosts (opens in new tab) in which they can reproduce sexually. 

Read more

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why crowning the protein that makes jellyfish glow green as a model can help scientists streamline biology

Image
Originally published by Marc Zimmer ,  The Conversation , on March 1, 2026 edited by  Lisa Lock , reviewed by  Alexander Pol Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Fruit flies, mice , zebrafish , yeast , and the tiny worm  C. elegans  are  model organisms  that have carried modern biology on their backs. Scientists did not choose them for their charisma. They were chosen because their similarities illuminate biological principles across many species. Their biology is simple enough for researchers to master yet deep enough to keep  delivering new insights centuries later . But biologists don't have a common reference point for a vast area of the field:  proteins, the cell's doers . Proteins catalyze chemical reactions, give cells their structure, and help them communicate with each other. Most organisms use tens of thousands of protein types, and each can be mutated , modified , and measured in different ways and in countless environments...
Read more

How fast does a protein fold? Real-time technique captures the moment

Image
Proteins assume complex 3D shapes even faster than does DNA , which is a simpler molecule. Originally wri tten By  Katherine Bourzac and published in Nature on 9 March 2026 It can take less than a microsecond for proteins (artist’s impression) to fold into their 3D shapes. Credit: Christoph Burgstedt/Science Photo Library Scientists say they have made some of the first direct measurements of how long it takes an individual, ordinary protein to fold . The results were surprising: they found no relationship between a protein’s sequence or size and how long it takes to  fold into its 3D shape . And proteins seem to fold more efficiently than do other biomolecules, such as DNA — despite proteins having a more complex set of ingredients. The work was published today in  Physical Review Letters 1 . Read more
Read more

From Lemurs to Lab Mice, Hibernators Reveal Insights into Human Health

Image
Hibernation helps animals survive periods of harsh conditions. Studying this behavior could uncover clues to treating obesity, preserving organs, and more in humans. Originally written in the Scientist by Stephanie DeMarco, PhD, on Nov 28, 2025  Hibernating animals go into a state of torpor wherein they lower their metabolic rate and internal temperature. Image credit:© iStock.com, Edwin_Butter As leaves fall off the trees and temperatures grow bitingly cold, many animals prepare to hibernate for the winter. During this period, animals enter a state of torpor wherein they reduce their metabolic activity and lower their body temperature , which helps them conserve energy . Organisms can also enter other kinds of dormancy or adaptations to stressful environments that resemble hibernation. While studying these behaviors can teach scientists more about the unique biology of these animals , it can also inform human health and disease . These include neurodegeneration mechanisms...
Read more