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Korean J Parasitol. 2009 Oct;47(Suppl):S29-S37.
Published online 2009 October 26.  doi: 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.S.S29.
Copyright © 2009 by The Korean Society for Parasitology
GRA Proteins of Toxoplasma gondii: Maintenance of Host-Parasite Interactions across the Parasitophorous Vacuolar Membrane
Ho-Woo Nam
Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Korea.

Corresponding author (Email: howoo@catholic.ac.kr )
Received September 08, 2009; Revised September 28, 2009; Accepted September 28, 2009.

Abstract

The dense granule of Toxoplasma gondii is a secretory vesicular organelle of which the proteins participate in the modification of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) and PV membrane for the maintenance of intracellular parasitism in almost all nucleated host cells. In this review, the archives on the research of GRA proteins are reviewed on the foci of finding GRA proteins, characterizing molecular aspects, usefulness in diagnostic antigen, and vaccine trials in addition to some functions in host-parasite interactions.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, dense granule, GRA protein, PVM, host-parasite interaction.
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