Fig. 5: MDH is not required for the lytic cycle.

a Construction of the MDH-HA localization strain from RHΔku80. MDH was found in the cytoplasm of T. gondii, co-localized with the characteristic cytoplasmic protein ALD. b The plaque size between parental and Δmdh was compared (7 d, 100 tachyzoites were used in each well, and 3 wells for each strain). c The relative size of the plaques from (b) (means ± SEM; Student’s t test). d The replication assays of parental and Δmdh strains in HFF cells were compared. The strains infected with HFF cells were cultured for 24 h, and the number of parasites in the vacuoles was determined by IFA. e ICR mice were injected intraperitoneally with wild-type and Δmdh tachyzoites (100 parasites/mouse and 10 mice/strain).