Among the translationally controlled genes are those encoding the major ookinete surface proteins, p28 and p25, constituents of the molecular motor and inner membrane complex, and proteins targeted to the micronemes (Mair et al., 2010), secretory organelles required for gliding and invasion.
Calcium has been shown to be important for the parasite maturation [ 10, 11] and for the vital parasitic processes such as invasion, gliding motility [ 11– 18], and sexual stage development [ 19– 22].
The plant-like calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) harbored by T. gondii are involved in gliding motility, cell invasion, egress and some other developmental processes, and so have been implicated as important virulence factors.
It also includes genes upregulated in late schizont stage involved in gliding motility and invasion of red blood cells such as RAP1, RAP3, RBP2a, RBP2b, RBP3, apical sushi protein (ASP), MSP3, MSP9, EBA-140, CLAG3.2, AMA1, and SPATR.
The leading P. vivax vaccine candidate is a pre-erythrocytic vaccine that targets the circumsporozoite protein (CSP), which is considered to be the most abundant protein on the surface of mature sporozoites and has a vital role for the parasite by mediating gliding motility and invasion of both, hepatocytes and mosquito salivary glands.
It has been suggested that protein phosphorylation plays a role in the organisation of the molecular machinery required for gliding motility and invasion (Ridzuan et al., 2012; Thomas et al., 2012); therefore, we investigated whether ISP1-GFP and ISP3-GFP were phosphorylated in vivo.
A family of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPK) is known as key effectors in regulating calcium related signaling pathways in apicomplexan, which control a diverse array of functions in the life cycle including gliding motility, cell invasion, egress and some other developmental processes that occur at distinct stages in their complex life [ 14].
Conversely, tachyzoites rely on both pathways, with glycolysis playing a major role in extracellular parasites by supplying most of the energy required for gliding motility and invasion [ 51, 52], whereas oxidative phosphorylation is important for ATP homeostasis in intracellular tachyzoites [ 53].
The resulting posterior translocation of the adhesin generates the power for gliding and invasion by the parasite.
In contrast to those having to do with metabolism, genes that generally lack any type of ortholog populate clusters that contain genes involved in parasitic function such invasion or gliding motility [40].
