Publications
Selected papers on parasite biology.
A curated list of peer-reviewed work from the Dou Lab. For a complete record, see Google Scholar.
- 2026
Is heme metabolism a promising drug target in Toxoplasma gondii?
Dou Z.PLoS Pathog. 2026 Jun 2;22(6):e1014280. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1014280. eCollection 2026 Jun. - 2026
A two-membrane gateway for monocarboxylates couples host glycolysis to Toxoplasma mitochondrial fitness and virulence.
Key M, Joseph S, Dou Z.bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Feb 24:2026.02.23.707530. doi: 10.64898/2026.02.23.707530. - 2025
Oxadiargyl analogs as potent inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii protoporphyrinogen oxidase.
Kwain S, Awasthi V, Islam R, Kore S, Polaski E, Rees KC, Dou Z, Whitehead DC.RSC Med Chem. 2025 Nov 3;17(1):343-353. doi: 10.1039/d5md00888c. eCollection 2026 Jan 28. - 2024
Deciphering protein prenylation in endocytic trafficking in Toxoplasma gondii.
Carruthers VB, Dou Z.mBio. 2024 Apr 10;15(4):e0028324. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00283-24. Epub 2024 Feb 26. - 2024
Toxoplasma gondii harbors a hypoxia-responsive coproporphyrinogen dehydrogenase-like protein.
Key M, Baptista CG, Bergmann A, Floyd K, Blader IJ, Dou Z.mSphere. 2024 Mar 26;9(3):e0009224. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00092-24. Epub 2024 Feb 27. - 2023
Toxoplasma gondii harbors a hypoxia-responsive coproporphyrinogen dehydrogenase-like protein.
Key M, Baptista CG, Bergmann A, Floyd K, Blader IJ, Dou Z.bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Nov 16:2023.11.16.567449. doi: 10.1101/2023.11.16.567449. Update in: mSphere. 2024 Mar 26;9(3):e0009224. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00092-24. - 2023
A cathepsin C-like protease mediates the post-translation modification of Toxoplasma gondii secretory proteins for optimal invasion and egress.
Thornton LB, Key M, Micchelli C, Stasic AJ, Kwain S, Floyd K, Moreno SNJ, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Dou Z.mBio. 2023 Aug 31;14(4):e0017423. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00174-23. Epub 2023 Jun 16. - 2023
The vacuolar iron transporter mediates iron detoxification in Toxoplasma gondii.
Aghabi D, Sloan M, Gill G, Hartmann E, Antipova O, Dou Z, Guerra AJ, Carruthers VB, Harding CR.Nat Commun. 2023 Jun 20;14(1):3659. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39436-y. - 2023
A cathepsin C-like protease post-translationally modifies Toxoplasma gondii secretory proteins for optimal invasion and egress.
Thornton LB, Key M, Micchelli C, Stasic AJ, Kwain S, Floyd K, Moreno SNJ, Dominy BN, Whitehead DC, Dou Z.bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Jan 22:2023.01.21.525043. doi: 10.1101/2023.01.21.525043. Update in: mBio. 2023 Aug 31;14(4):e0017423. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00174-23. - 2022
The Toxoplasma plant-like vacuolar compartment (PLVAC).
Stasic AJ, Moreno SNJ, Carruthers VB, Dou Z.J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2022 Nov;69(6):e12951. doi: 10.1111/jeu.12951. Epub 2022 Oct 27. - 2022
Safe, Effective, and Inexpensive Clearance of Mycoplasma Contamination from Cultures of Apicomplexan Parasites with Sparfloxacin.
Malave-Ramos DR, Kennedy K, Key MN, Dou Z, Kafsack BFC.Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Oct 26;10(5):e0349722. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.03497-22. Epub 2022 Oct 3. - 2022
Oxadiazon Derivatives Elicit Potent Intracellular Growth Inhibition against Toxoplasma gondii by Disrupting Heme Biosynthesis.
Rees KC, Dou Z, Whitehead DC.ACS Infect Dis. 2022 May 13;8(5):911-917. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00020. Epub 2022 Apr 1. - 2021
An Uninvited Seat at the Dinner Table: How Apicomplexan Parasites Scavenge Nutrients from the Host.
Piro F, Focaia R, Dou Z, Masci S, Smith D, Di Cristina M.Microorganisms. 2021 Dec 15;9(12):2592. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9122592. - 2021
Fluorescence-based Heme Quantitation in Toxoplasma Gondii.
Bergmann A, Dou Z.Bio Protoc. 2021 Jun 20;11(12):e4063. doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.4063. eCollection 2021 Jun 20. - 2020
Toxoplasma gondii requires its plant-like heme biosynthesis pathway for infection.
Bergmann A, Floyd K, Key M, Dameron C, Rees KC, Thornton LB, Whitehead DC, Hamza I, Dou Z.PLoS Pathog. 2020 May 14;16(5):e1008499. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008499. eCollection 2020 May. - 2020
Determination of Chemical Inhibitor Efficiency against Intracellular Toxoplasma Gondii Growth Using a Luciferase-Based Growth Assay.
Key M, Bergmann A, Micchelli C, Thornton LB, Millard S, Dou Z.J Vis Exp. 2020 Apr 29;(158):10.3791/60985. doi: 10.3791/60985. - 2020
Toxoplasma Cathepsin Protease B and Aspartyl Protease 1 Are Dispensable for Endolysosomal Protein Digestion.
McDonald C, Smith D, Di Cristina M, Kannan G, Dou Z, Carruthers VB.mSphere. 2020 Feb 12;5(1):e00869-19. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00869-19. - 2019
An ortholog of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of the endolysosomal system in Toxoplasma gondii to facilitate host invasion.
Thornton LB, Teehan P, Floyd K, Cochrane C, Bergmann A, Riegel B, Stasic AJ, Di Cristina M, Moreno SNJ, Roepe PD, Dou Z.PLoS Pathog. 2019 Jun 6;15(6):e1007775. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007775. eCollection 2019 Jun. - 2017
Toxoplasma depends on lysosomal consumption of autophagosomes for persistent infection.
Di Cristina M, Dou Z, Lunghi M, Kannan G, Huynh MH, McGovern OL, Schultz TL, Schultz AJ, Miller AJ, Hayes BM, van der Linden W, Emiliani C, Bogyo M, Besteiro S, Coppens I, Carruthers VB.Nat Microbiol. 2017 Jun 19;2:17096. doi: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.96. - 2015
Advances in Understanding Carboxysome Assembly in Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus Implicate CsoS2 as a Critical Component.
Cai F, Dou Z, Bernstein SL, Leverenz R, Williams EB, Heinhorst S, Shively J, Cannon GC, Kerfeld CA.Life (Basel). 2015 Mar 27;5(2):1141-71. doi: 10.3390/life5021141. - 2014
Characterization of the chloroquine resistance transporter homologue in Toxoplasma gondii.
Warring SD, Dou Z, Carruthers VB, McFadden GI, van Dooren GG.Eukaryot Cell. 2014 Nov;13(11):1360-70. doi: 10.1128/EC.00027-14. Epub 2014 May 23. - 2014
A vacuolar-H(+) -pyrophosphatase (TgVP1) is required for microneme secretion, host cell invasion, and extracellular survival of Toxoplasma gondii.
Liu J, Pace D, Dou Z, King TP, Guidot D, Li ZH, Carruthers VB, Moreno SN.Mol Microbiol. 2014 Aug;93(4):698-712. doi: 10.1111/mmi.12685. Epub 2014 Jul 16. - 2014
Toxoplasma gondii ingests and digests host cytosolic proteins.
Dou Z, McGovern OL, Di Cristina M, Carruthers VB.mBio. 2014 Jul 15;5(4):e01188-14. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01188-14. - 2013
Non-canonical maturation of two papain-family proteases in Toxoplasma gondii.
Dou Z, Coppens I, Carruthers VB.J Biol Chem. 2013 Feb 1;288(5):3523-34. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.443697. Epub 2012 Dec 18. - 2012
Microneme protein 5 regulates the activity of Toxoplasma subtilisin 1 by mimicking a subtilisin prodomain.
Saouros S, Dou Z, Henry M, Marchant J, Carruthers VB, Matthews S.J Biol Chem. 2012 Oct 19;287(43):36029-40. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.389825. Epub 2012 Aug 15. - 2011
Cathepsin proteases in Toxoplasma gondii.
Dou Z, Carruthers VB.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011;712:49-61. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-8414-2_4. - 2010
Organization, structure, and assembly of alpha-carboxysomes determined by electron cryotomography of intact cells.
Iancu CV, Morris DM, Dou Z, Heinhorst S, Cannon GC, Jensen GJ.J Mol Biol. 2010 Feb 12;396(1):105-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2009.11.019. Epub 2009 Nov 17. - 2008
CO2 fixation kinetics of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus mutant carboxysomes lacking carbonic anhydrase suggest the shell acts as a diffusional barrier for CO2.
Dou Z, Heinhorst S, Williams EB, Murin CD, Shively JM, Cannon GC.J Biol Chem. 2008 Apr 18;283(16):10377-84. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M709285200. Epub 2008 Feb 7. - 2008
Halothiobacillus neapolitanus carboxysomes sequester heterologous and chimeric RubisCO species.
Menon BB, Dou Z, Heinhorst S, Shively JM, Cannon GC.PLoS One. 2008;3(10):e3570. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003570. Epub 2008 Oct 30.