The association
of PRP1, a Paramecium parafusin orthologue, with Toxoplasma
gondii micronemes, now confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy,
has here been studied in relation to exocytosis and cell invasion.
PRP1 becomes labelled in vivo by inorganic 32P and
is dephosphorylated when ethanol is used to stimulate Ca2+-dependent
exocytosis of the micronemes. The ethanol Ca2+-stimulated
exocytosis is accompanied by translocation of PRP1 and microneme content
protein (MIC3) from the apical end of the parasite. Immunoblotting
showed that PRP1 is redistributed inside the parasite, while microneme
content is secreted. To study whether similar changes occur during
cell invasion, quantitative microscopy was performed during secretion,
invasion and exit (egress) from the host cell. Time-course experiments
showed that fluorescence intensities of PRP1 and MIC3 immediately
after invasion were reduced 10-fold compared to preinvasion levels,
indicating that PRP1 translocation and microneme secretion accompanies
invasion. MIC3 regained fluorescence intensity and apical distribution
after 15 min, while PRP1 recovered after 1 h. Intensity
of both proteins then increased throughout the parasite division period
until host cell lysis, suggesting the need to secrete microneme proteins
to egress. These studies suggest that PRP1 associated with the secretory
vesicle scaffold serves an important role in Ca2+-regulated
exocytosis and cell invasion.