Jack D. Sunter

Aug 31, 2024 | cell.com | Matthew Rogers |Jack D. Sunter |Oxford Brookes

KeywordsLeishmaniabiofilmsand flypromastigote secretory gelPSGtransmissionMicrobial biofilmsThe Leishmania parasite occupies particular niches in its sand fly vector which enable life cycle progression and onward transmission. This opinion article draws attention to the fact that a key factor in these processes is the formation of a biofilm, consisting of Leishmania parasites embedded in the promastigote secretory gel.

Feb 8, 2024 | jbc.org | Andrea Vizcaíno-Castillo |Oxford Brookes |Jack D. Sunter

ABSTRACTDiseases caused by Leishmania and Trypanosoma parasites are a major health problem in tropical countries. Due to their complex life cycle involving both vertebrate and insect hosts, and >1 billion years of evolutionarily distance, the cell biology of trypanosomatid parasites exhibits pronounced differences to animal cells. For example, the actin cytoskeleton of trypanosomatids is divergent when compared to other eukaryotes.