Lab information
Research Interests
Our research centers on studying the host/pathogen interactions of the intracelluar parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma causes abnormal fetal neurological development and encephalitis in immunocompromised patients. Toxoplasma is a member of the coccidian family of parasites that include Plasmodium (causative agent of malaria) and Cryptosporidium (causative agent of water-borne outbreaks of diarrhea). We are using a library signature-tagged mutants and a chronic infection mouse model to isolate genes important for virulence and developmental regulation.
Training
B.A. - 1989; Saint Olaf College; Northfield, MN
Ph.D. - 1994; Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis, MO
Postdoctoral Research- Stanford University; Stanford, CA
Publications – NCBI PubMed search for "L.J. Knoll"
Pollard, A. M., K. N. Onatolu, L. Hiller, K. Haldar, and L. J. Knoll. (2008). Highly Polymorphic Family of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored Surface Antigens with Evidence of Developmental Regulation in Toxoplasma gondii. Infect Immun., 76(1):103-10.
Lavine, M. D., L. J. Knoll, P. J. Rooney, and G. Arrizabalaga. (2007). A Toxoplasma gondii mutant defective in responding to calcium fluxes shows reduced in vivo pathogenicity. Mol Biochem Parasitol., 155(2):113-22.
Frankel, M. B., D. G. Mordue, and L. J. Knoll. (2007). Discovery of parasite virulence genes reveals a unique regulator of chromosome condensation 1 ortholog critical for efficient nuclear trafficking. PNAS, 104(24):10181–10186.
Craver, M. P. J., and L. J. Knoll. (2007). Increased efficiency of homologous recombination in Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein 3 demonstrates that GRA3 is not necessary in cell culture but does contribute to virulence. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 153:149–157.
Van, T. T., S. K. Kim, M. Camps, J. C. Boothroyd, and L. J. Knoll. (2007). The BSR4 protein is up-regulated in Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites, however the dominant surface antigen recognised by the P36 monoclonal antibody is SRS9. Int. J. Parasitol., 37:877–885.
Mordue, D. G., C. F. Scott-Weathers, C. M. Tobin and L. J. Knoll. (2007). A patatin-like protein protects Toxoplasma gondii from degradation in activated macrophages. Mol. Microbiol., 63(2):482–496.
