Toxoplasma gondii: microneme protein MIC2.

The phylum Apicomplexa contains parasites responsible for a variety of diseases including malaria, cryptosporidiosis, and toxoplasmosis. One of the common features of these parasites is that they contain a set of apical organelles whose sequential secretion is required for the invasion of host cells. Microneme proteins are the main adhesins involved in the attachment to the host cell surface by apicomplexans. The microneme protein MIC2, produced by Toxoplasma gondii, is conserved in apicomplexans and serves as a model to understand the first steps of invasion by the phylum. New data about the structure-function relationship of MIC2 reinforce the critical role of this protein in the successful invasion of cells by Toxoplasma and reveal potential therapeutic targets that may be used to control toxoplasmosis.