Iron Stress Affects the Growth and Differentiation of Toxoplasma gondii

Iron is an indispensable nutrient for the survival ofToxoplasma gondii; however, excessive amounts can lead to toxicity. The parasite must overcome the host’s “nutritional immunity” barrier and compete with the host for iron. SinceT. gondiican infect most nucleated cells, it encounters increased iron stress during parasitism. This study assessed the impact of iron stress, encompassing both iron depletion and iron accumulation, on the growth ofT. gondii. Iron accumulation disrupted the redox balance ofT. gondiiwhile enhancing the parasite’s ability to adhere in high-iron environments. Conversely, iron depletion promoted the differentiation of tachyzoites into bradyzoites. Proteomic analysis further revealed proteins affected by iron depletion and identified the involvement of phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator proteins in bradyzoite formation.Keywords:Toxoplasma gondii;iron depletion;iron accumulation;bradyzoite differentiation