International journal for parasitology最新文献

{"title":"The sample size matters: evaluating minimum and reasonable values in prevalence studies.","authors":"Volodimir Sarabeev, Svitlana Shvydka, Olga Lisitsyna, Mikuláš Oros, Martina Miterpáková, Mária Ždímalová","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Estimating sample size is important for prevalence studies, as it directly influences the validity of the research outcomes. Our objective was to highlight constraints in the prevalence assessment and to provide guidance on the delineation of minimum and reasonable sample size. We also assess the prevalence properties as a function of sample size visualizing the median prevalence, confidence intervals, precision, and changes in precision. Constraint analysis indicates that a sample size of less than 15 host individuals will likely result in unacceptable precision in the most cases. Because the prevalence estimate accuracy depends on both sample size and the estimate itself, the minimum sample size may vary widely, from 16 to over 450 individuals, when the prevalence is between 1% and 99%. A sample size of 16-45 elements can be used as a minimum for estimating true prevalence between 10% and 90% with an acceptable precision. However, caution should be exercised with a such small sample size as the prevalence will have a high degree of uncertainty. A simple, practical suggestion for selecting a minimum sample size is to sample until at least 5 infected (cases) and 5 uninfected (non-cases) hosts are detected. This approach is effective in most situations, except in cases of extreme prevalence (1% or 99%). The design of a reasonable sample size should be based on a flexible strategy that takes into account the study objectives, available resources and desired precision. This strategy may based on finding the plateau phase within the precision or confidence intervals curves. As the uncertainty in prevalence decreases rapidly with increasing sample up to 110-135 individuals, but not much more with further increasing sample efforts, opting for a sample size exceeding this threshold, could be considered an optional choice within the prevalence range of 5-95%. We advise authors, editors and reviewers to track sample size in conjunction with the actual prevalence of the parasites and other pathogens. If the minimum sample size is unattainable, authors should acknowledge this limitation, as all data contribute to understanding parasite distribution.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144199020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CRISPR/Cas genome editing, functional genomics, and diagnostics for parasitic helminths.","authors":"Akito Koike, Paul J Brindley","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Functional genomics using CRISPR (Clustered Regulatory Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated endonuclease)-based approaches has revolutionized biomedical sciences. Gene editing is also widespread in parasitology generally and its use is increasing in studies on helminths including flatworm and roundworm parasites. Here, we survey the progress, specifically with experimental CRISPR-facilitated functional genomics to investigate helminth biology and pathogenesis, and also with the burgeoning use of CRISPR-based methods to assist in diagnosis of helminth infections. We also provide an historical timeline of the introduction and uses of CRISPR in helminth species to date.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12353640/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143982244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trichinella spiralis excretory/secretory antigens ameliorate porcine epidemic diarrhea virus-induced mucosal damage in porcine intestinal oganoids by alleviating inflammation and promoting tight junction","authors":"Yinju Liu ,&nbsp;Jinlong Tan ,&nbsp;Nianzhang Zhang ,&nbsp;Zigang Qu ,&nbsp;Wenhui Li ,&nbsp;Yaodong Wu ,&nbsp;Hong Yin ,&nbsp;Guangliang Liu ,&nbsp;Baoquan Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Trichinella spiralis</em> and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) are two infectious swine pathogens. Parasite excretory/secretory antigens play critical roles in various disease processes. To explore the coexistence mechanism of two pathogens infecting the same host, the intestinal organoid was utilized to reproduce these biological processes. In this study, we investigated the effects of <em>T. spiralis</em> excretory/secretory antigens (<em>Ts</em>ES) on PEDV-induced inflammatory regulation, lesion recovery, and mucosal barrier repair in porcine intestinal organoids. The results showed that PEDV effectively infected the porcine intestinal organoids. Next, <em>Ts</em>ES inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokines produced by PEDV-infected porcine intestinal organoids. Further, four-dimensional (4D) label-free quantitative proteomics and western blotting confirmed that <em>Ts</em>ES regulate the inflammation caused by PEDV infection through the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway. In addition, <em>Ts</em>ES promoted cell proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and reduced PEDV-induced lesions in intestinal organoids. The elevated secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels caused by PEDV infection were downregulated by <em>Ts</em>ES treatment in intestinal organoids. <em>Ts</em>ES treatment reversed the mucosal barrier damage caused by PEDV infection in intestinal organoids. Finally, PEDV replication increased after <em>Ts</em>ES treatment in organoids. We highlight the potential of <em>Ts</em>ES to ameliorate PEDV-induced inflammation, mucosal lesions, and barrier damage in porcine intestinal organoids. <em>Ts</em>ES also contribute to PEDV replication. This study presents a novel research model for research on host-virus-parasite interactions, while also providing a theoretical foundation to consider parasite derivatives as a potential adjunctive therapy for intestinal inflammation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 183-195"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142894453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expanding the known haemosporidian parasite diversity in Eurasian bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) subspecies through amplicon sequencing","authors":"Dragomir Damnjanović ,&nbsp;Masoud Nazarizadeh ,&nbsp;Václav Pavel ,&nbsp;Bohumír Chutný ,&nbsp;Arild Johnsen ,&nbsp;Milena Nováková ,&nbsp;Jan Štefka","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Monitoring haemosporidian parasites in birds is essential to comprehend the dynamics of avian malaria, a disease that significantly affects bird populations worldwide. This study concentrated on the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in 198 specimens from two subspecies of the Eurasian bluethroat (<em>Luscinia svecica</em>), aiming to explore the genetic diversity and species richness of haemosporidian fauna across the host populations. By utilizing next-generation amplicon high-throughput sequencing (NGS), we observed a marked increase in the detection of haemosporidian diversity, revealing cryptic variants and species previously unidentified by Sanger sequencing. A high prevalence of <em>Plasmodium</em> was seen in all studied sites, accompanied by a less frequent <em>Leucocytozoon</em> infection in the red-spotted subspecies and minimal occurrence of <em>Haemoproteus</em>. Both previously known and new, low prevalence cryptic variants were detected, underscoring the complexity of haemosporidian infections in avian hosts. The use of species delimitation tools provided a detailed understanding of haemosporidian species diversity, their coexistence within hosts, and their phylogenetic relationships. Despite the varying ecological characteristics of the study sites, no significant difference in haemosporidian alpha diversity among populations was found. However, significant differences in beta diversity were identified, suggesting that habitat characteristics and geographic distance influence parasite distribution. These findings highlight the importance of advanced molecular techniques in revealing the hidden diversity of parasites, offering valuable insights into the ecology and evolution of haemosporidian infections. Given the threatened status of one of the host’s populations, knowledge on local diversity of haemosporidian parasites also has implications for possible conservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 137-150"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142785564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reviewer Thank You","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S0020-7519(25)00034-7","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S0020-7519(25)00034-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages I-II"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variations in extracellular vesicle shedding of Cystoisospora suis stages (Apicomplexa: Coccidia)","authors":"Anna Sophia Feix ,&nbsp;Astrid Laimer-Digruber ,&nbsp;Teresa Cruz-Bustos ,&nbsp;Gerhard Steiner ,&nbsp;Bärbel Ruttkowski ,&nbsp;Monika Ehling-Schulz ,&nbsp;Anja Joachim","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cystoisospora suis</em>, a porcine enteral parasite of the order Coccidia, is characterized by a complex life cycle, with asexual and sexual development in the epithelium of the host gut and an environmental phase as an oocyst. All developmental stages vary greatly in their morphology and function, and therefore excrete different bioactive molecules for intercellular communication. Due to their complex development, we hypothesized that the extracellular vesicles (EVs) cargo is highly dependent on the life cycle stages from which they are released. This study aimed to characterize and compare EVs of all developmental stages of <em>C. suis</em>. Nanoparticle tracking analysis and microscopy were used to determine particle numbers and size distributions of stage-specific parasite EVs. Furthermore, Fourier-transform infrared spectral analysis was employed for the metabolic fingerprinting of EVs, and the lipid and protein profiles of all parasite stages were determined. Overall, the study revealed that asexual, sexual and transmissible stages of <em>C. suis</em> release different EVs during the parasite’s life cycle. EVs of endogenous asexual and sexual stages were found to be more similar to each other than to those of the transmissible environmental stage, the oocyst. Furthermore, the ratio of fatty acids to polysaccharides and proteins changed during parasite development. In particular, proteins associated with the Apicomplexa and those involved in vesicle shedding showed changes in expression in all parasite stages. Lipid analysis showed that fatty acids were found in the same concentration through all parasite stages, whereas the amount of stereolipids, sphingolipids and glycerolipids changed between the parasite stages. In conclusion, this study, which presents the first known characterization of <em>C. suis</em> EVs, demonstrates a link between EVs and the respective developmental stages of the parasite, and putative functions in the parasite-parasite and host-parasite interplays.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 197-212"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142964502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How do trematode clones differ by fitness-related traits and interact within a host?","authors":"Ekaterina Mironova ,&nbsp;Sergei Spiridonov ,&nbsp;Danila Sotnikov ,&nbsp;Anastasia Shpagina ,&nbsp;Kseniia Savina ,&nbsp;Mikhail Gopko","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyclonal infections are widespread and provide evidence of facilitation, competition, and neutral interactions between parasite clones, even within the same host–parasite system. The outcome of coinfections is usually assessed by means of parasite infection intensities, while other important fitness-related traits, e.g., larval growth rates, are often ignored. We experimentally infected fish (<em>Salvelinus malma</em>) with different clones of the common trematode <em>Diplostomum pseudospathaceum</em> and pairs of clones. Clones were identified by microsatellite analysis. Their infectivity and growth rates within the fish were investigated in double-clone infections compared with single-clone ones. In total, 3838 parasite larvae (metacercariae) from 325 fish were measured. The growth rates of the <em>D. pseudospathaceum</em> clones were more variable than their infectivity. Relationships of these parasite traits with host mass were clone-specific. Some clones demonstrated higher infection intensities and growth rates in larger fish. Therefore, specialization toward different size groups of fish hosts may occur in this parasite species. Furthermore, we noticed a positive correlation between population density and parasite growth (Allee effect; rarely reported for parasites) but only in mixed infections. In double-clone infections, evidence of both interclonal facilitation and interclonal competition was found. When clones interacted, they either “cooperated” during infection of the host or competed while growing. There were no clone pairs in which interactions changed in type with time or were present constantly during development of the parasite.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 151-162"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142785567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies for specific detection of Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis in beehive samples","authors":"Fernando Izquierdo ,&nbsp;Carmen Fernández Vadillo ,&nbsp;Soledad Fenoy ,&nbsp;Carolina Hurtado-Marcos ,&nbsp;Angela Magnet ,&nbsp;Mariano Higes ,&nbsp;Raquel Martín-Hernández ,&nbsp;Carmen del Aguila","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.11.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two microsporidian species infect honeybees worldwide, <em>Nosema apis</em> and <em>Nosema ceranae</em>. Two different clinical patterns are considered: nosemosis type A (<em>N. apis</em>) and nosemosis type C (<em>N. ceranae</em>). Nosemosis type A is characterized in acute forms and nosemosis type C shows no clear outward clinical signs. The development of a rapid and simple tool for <em>Nosema</em> detection could allow beekeepers or veterinarians to carry out diagnostic tests in situ. Currently, PCR and microscopy are expensive techniques that require qualified staff and may not be available in every laboratory. The present study describes the production and characterization of four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against <em>N. ceranae</em> and <em>N. apis</em>, and the development of an IFAT. An IFAT using the mAbs was compared with microscopy and PCR for 180 beehive samples. The diagnostic test revealed similar sensitivity and specificity percentages to IFAT (97.79% and 93.18%, respectively) and microscopy (97.79% and 95.45%), considering 100% for the PCR as the ‘gold standard’. A mAb (7D2) was patented for its high specificity for <em>N. ceranae</em>. The IFAT using the mAbs is a good alternative to microscopy and PCR in laboratories where PCR is not available for the detection and identification of both <em>Nosema</em> spp.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 163-172"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142785571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Widespread occurrence of benzimidazole resistance single nucleotide polymorphisms in the canine hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, in Australia","authors":"Swaid Abdullah ,&nbsp;Thomas Stocker ,&nbsp;Hyungsuk Kang ,&nbsp;Ian Scott ,&nbsp;Douglas Hayward ,&nbsp;Susan Jaensch ,&nbsp;Michael P. Ward ,&nbsp;Malcolm K. Jones ,&nbsp;Andrew C. Kotze ,&nbsp;Jan Šlapeta","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Canine hookworm (<em>Ancylostoma caninum</em>), a gastrointestinal nematode of domestic dogs, principally infects the small intestine of dogs and has the potential to cause zoonotic disease. In greyhounds and pet dogs in the USA, <em>A. caninum</em> has been shown to be resistant to multiple anthelmintics. We conducted a molecular survey of benzimidazole resistance in <em>A. caninum</em> from dogs at veterinary diagnostic centers in Australia and New Zealand. First, we implemented an internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 rDNA deep amplicon metabarcoding sequencing approach to ascertain the species of hookworms infecting dogs in the region. Then, we evaluated the frequency of the canonical F167Y and Q134H isotype-1 β-tubulin mutations, which confer benzimidazole resistance, using the same sequencing approach. The most detected hookworm species in diagnostic samples was <em>A. caninum</em> (90%; 83/92); the related Northern hookworm (<em>Uncinaria stenocephala</em>) was identified in 11% (10/92) of the diagnostic samples. There was a single sample with coinfection by <em>A. caninum</em> and <em>U. stenocephala</em>. Both isotype-1 β-tubulin mutations were present in <em>A. caninum</em>, 49% and 67% for Q134H and F167Y, respectively. Mutation F167Y in the isotype-1 β-tubulin mutation was recorded in <em>U. stenocephala</em> for the first known time. Canonical benzimidazole resistance codons 198 and 200 mutations were absent. Egg hatch assays performed on a subset of the <em>A. caninum</em> samples showed significant correlation between 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) to thiabendazole and F167Y, with an increased IC₅₀ for samples with &gt; 75% F167Y mutation. We detected 14% of dogs with &gt; 75% F167Y mutation in <em>A. caninum</em>. Given that these samples were collected from dogs across various regions of Australia, the present study suggests that benzimidazole resistance in <em>A. caninum</em> is widespread. Therefore, to mitigate the risk of resistance selection and further spread, adoption of a risk assessment-based approach to limit unnecessary anthelmintic use should be a key consideration for future parasite control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 3","pages":"Pages 173-182"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142881999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of SnROP9, a rhoptry protein homologue of Sarcocystis neurona that is expressed in lifecycle stages lacking rhoptry organelles","authors":"Annapoorani Jegatheesan ,&nbsp;Margaret Micciche ,&nbsp;Jennifer Ngo ,&nbsp;Peter J. Bradley ,&nbsp;Daniel K. Howe ,&nbsp;Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.02.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Proteins released by the club-shaped, apically located, specialized secretory organelles called rhoptries play an essential role in host cell invasion and intracellular survival of apicomplexans. <em>Sarcocystis neurona</em>, the apicomplexan responsible for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), lacks rhoptries in its asexual developmental stages, viz., merozoites and schizonts. Nevertheless, rhoptry protein (ROP) homologues were detected in the <em>S. neurona</em> transcriptome and proteome, and SnROP9 was particularly abundant. In this study, we performed in vitro assays to characterize SnROP9 and determine its expression in the merozoite and schizont stages. SnROP9 is a 351 amino acids long protein with two consensus rhoptry protein cleavage motifs. Partition and secretory assays confirmed that SnROP9 is a soluble protein secreted into the excretory-secretory fraction. The total lysate of <em>S. neurona</em> merozoites revealed the full-length protein at ∼38 kDa and two additional peptides at ∼30 kDa and 25 kDa, consistent with its cleavage by a rhoptry processing enzyme. In the schizont stages, the presumed processed SnROP9 peptides migrated differently than in the merozoite and appeared as doublets. In the merozoite, SnROP9 localized predominantly to the apical pole but did not co-localize with the microneme protein, SnMIC10, suggesting that SnROP9 is not trafficked via micronemes, another type of apical secretory organelle. Interestingly, SnROP9 redistributed shortly after the invasion and remained dispersed with a granular appearance throughout the schizont during intracellular development. Despite several attempts, disruption of <em>Snrop9</em> was unsuccessful, suggesting that there might be an essential role for SnROP9 in <em>S. neurona</em>. Further investigation of SnROP9 and other rhoptry protein homologues will help in better understanding their role in <em>S. neurona</em> biology, particularly in lifecycle stages that lack rhoptry organelles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 6","pages":"Pages 327-337"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143491954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}