Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-32420-007-006-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 15, 2015
End Date: May 31, 2019
Objective:
To determine the molecular basis of pathogenicity of Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi.
Approach:
Oocysts of these two parasites will be obtained from feces of experimentally infected cats, and in vitro cultures will be initiated with sporozoites. RNA from parasites will be harvested daily and prepped for the Illumina sequencing. Eventually, the virulence of the modified parasites will be tested in outbred mice to dissect out the genes responsible for the virulence of Toxoplasma or lack of it.
