Abstract:

Since transient transfection of Toxoplasma gondii was first reported in 1993, stable transfections of apicomplexa such as T. gondii, Plasmodium species and Sarcocystis neurona have been achieved later, moreover, both the in vitro transient and in vivo stable transfection systems of Eimeria tenella, which do not undergo re-cycling of any life cycle stages, has been developed successfully. With the rapid development of transfection technology in Apicomplexan parasites, genetic manipulation provides a powerful tool for the study of the biochemical and cell biology of Apicomplexa. This paper has reviewed the latest progress of transfection technology and its application in gene regulation, the function of gene, the nature of drug resistance, drug sensitivity test and immunology of Apicomplexan parasites in combination with the related researches in authors’ laboratory in past years.

Key words: transfection, apicomplexan protozoa, function of gene, live vaccine vector