Post-Translational Modifications to <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> α- and β-Tubulins Include Novel C-Terminal Methylation Hui Xiao Kamal El Bissati Pascal Verdier-Pinard Berta Burd Hongshan Zhang Kami Kim Andras Fiser Ruth Hogue Angeletti Louis M. Weiss 10.1021/pr900699a.s001 https://acs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Post_Translational_Modifications_to_i_Toxoplasma_gondii_i_and_Tubulins_Include_Novel_C_Terminal_Methylation/2802355 <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is an apicomplexan of both medical and veterinary importance which is classified as an NIH Category B priority pathogen. It is best known for its ability to cause congenital infection in immune competent hosts and encephalitis in immune compromised hosts. The highly stable and specialized microtubule-based cytoskeleton participates in the invasion process. The genome encodes three isoforms of both α- and β-tubulin and we show that the tubulin is extensively altered by specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) in this paper. <i>T. gondii</i> tubulin PTMs were analyzed by mass spectrometry and immunolabeling using specific antibodies. The PTMs identified on α-tubulin included acetylation of Lys40, removal of the last C-terminal amino acid residue Tyr453 (detyrosinated tubulin) and truncation of the last five amino acid residues. Polyglutamylation was detected on both α- and β-tubulins. An antibody directed against mammalian α-tubulin lacking the last two C-terminal residues (Δ2-tubulin) labeled the apical region of this parasite. Detyrosinated tubulin was diffusely present in subpellicular microtubules and displayed an apparent accumulation at the basal end. Methylation, a PTM not previously described on tubulin, was also detected. Methylated tubulins were not detected in the host cells, human foreskin fibroblasts, suggesting that this may be a modification specific to the Apicomplexa. 2010-01-04 00:00:00 foreskin fibroblasts detyrosinated tubulin acid residue Tyr 453 invasion process mass spectrometry Methylated tubulins acid residues gondii tubulin PTMs NIH Category B priority pathogen host cells subpellicular microtubules Detyrosinated tubulin genome encodes apical region basal end