The Evolution and Diversification of Apicomplexan Cell Invasion Mechanisms

通过这个项目获得的关于顶复门寄生虫细胞入侵机制的见解，将对许多对人类和动物具有重要意义的寄生虫产生深远的影响。由于宿主细胞入侵是寄生虫生命周期中的关键步骤，因此本文鉴定的蛋白质将成为预防入侵的新药或可用作疫苗的抗原的主要靶点。这对于制定新的控制战略非常重要，这些战略不仅适用于疟疾或弓形虫病等全球性疾病，而且适用于对澳大利亚食品工业具有国家重要性的疾病，包括每年给牲畜和家禽业造成重大经济损失的巴贝虫病和球虫病等疾病。

Insights gained through this project, about the mechanisms of cell invasion in Apicomplexan parasites, will have far reaching implications for a number of parasites of great significance to humans and animals. Since host cell invasion is a key step in the parasite lifecycle, proteins identified here will be prime targets for novel drugs that prevent invasion or antigens that can be used as vaccines. This will be important for developing new control strategies for diseases of global significance such as malaria or toxoplasmosis, as well as those of national importance to the food industry of Australia, including diseases like babesiosis and coccidiosis that cause significant economic loss to the livestock and poultry industries each year.