Dr. Dong Xia, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK

 

A Journey Through Systems Parasitology: Exploring Enteric Apicomplexans Across Genomes, Networks, and Ecosystems

Understanding enteric apicomplexans requires tracing their biology across interconnected scales of complexity, from fundamental genetic codes to the resulting dynamics of the gut ecosystem.

At the foundational level, resolving the complex genomes of diverse Eimeria species reveals the structural plasticity and lineage-specific gene expansions that drive parasite evolution and correlate with disease severity. To translate this genomic potential into functional reality, it is necessary to determine exactly where these encoded virulence factors are deployed. Subcellular mapping of E. tenella invasion organelles provides this crucial spatial context, characterising previously unannotated proteins and highlighting evolutionary divergence in key invasion mechanisms.

Equipped with a clearer picture of the parasite's molecular arsenal, the next critical step is defining its physical engagement with the host. Computational modelling of host-pathogen protein interaction networks allows us to map the mechanics of early infection and interactions. This interactome-driven approach directly accelerates reverse vaccinology for poultry Eimeria and aids therapeutic target discovery for human Cryptosporidium.

Yet, these molecular engagements do not occur in isolation; they continuously reshape the broader physiological landscape of the host. Integrating microbiome and metabolome data captures the profound regime shifts that occur within the chicken caecal ecosystem following Eimeria challenge and vaccination. Ultimately, tracing this continuous biological thread, from genetic sequence to the whole-gut environment, demonstrates how an integrated, multiscale perspective is driving the next generation of parasite control.