{"gene":"TG_260540","gene_symbol":"ALV9","run_date":"2026-09-08T15:31:44+00:00","timeline":{"discoveries":[{"year":2017,"finding":"IMC7 (TG_260540) is present exclusively in the mother's cytoskeleton during asexual division of Toxoplasma tachyzoites, is lost in early microgametocytes but retained in macrogametocytes until late in their development, and is absent from sporozoites.","method":"Spatiotemporal localization analysis across life cycle stages (live imaging / immunofluorescence)","journal":"mSphere","confidence":"Medium","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 / Moderate — direct localization experiments across multiple developmental stages in a single study with multiple stage comparisons, but no functional reconstitution or mutagenesis","pmids":["29062899"],"is_preprint":false,"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]},{"year":2017,"finding":"Knockout of IMC7 (TG_260540) in Toxoplasma tachyzoites results in loss of structural integrity of extracellular tachyzoites, demonstrating that IMC7 is critical for stress resistance of extracellular parasites.","method":"Genetic knockout (loss-of-function) with structural/stress-resistance phenotypic readout","journal":"mSphere","confidence":"Medium","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 / Moderate — clean knockout with defined cellular phenotype (extracellular tachyzoite structural integrity), single lab, single study","pmids":["29062899"],"is_preprint":false,"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]},{"year":2017,"finding":"IMC7 (TG_260540) is recruited to the cytoskeleton outside of cytokinesis (in the G1 cell cycle stage), placing it in a distinct temporal class of IMC proteins from those incorporated into daughter buds during division.","method":"Cell-cycle stage-resolved localization analysis (immunofluorescence/imaging)","journal":"mSphere","confidence":"Medium","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 / Moderate — direct localization experiment tied to cell cycle stage with functional implication, single lab","pmids":["29062899"],"is_preprint":false,"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]}],"current_model":"IMC7 (TG_260540) is an alveolin domain-containing inner membrane complex protein in Toxoplasma gondii that localizes exclusively to the mother cytoskeleton during asexual tachyzoite division (recruited in G1, outside cytokinesis) and is required for the structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites; it shows stage-specific dynamics across the life cycle, being retained in macrogametocytes but absent from sporozoites."},"narrative":{"mechanistic_narrative":"ALV9/IMC7 (TG_260540) is an alveolin domain-containing component of the Toxoplasma gondii inner membrane complex cytoskeleton whose defining feature is its temporal and stage-specific behavior during the parasite life cycle [PMID:29062899]. Unlike IMC proteins that are incorporated into nascent daughter buds during endodyogeny, IMC7 is recruited to the mother's cytoskeleton in the G1 phase, outside of cytokinesis, marking it as a distinct temporal class of IMC protein [PMID:29062899]. Its expression is stage-restricted across development: present in dividing asexual tachyzoites, lost in early microgametocytes, retained in macrogametocytes until late development, and absent from sporozoites [PMID:29062899]. Functionally, IMC7 is required for the structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites, as knockout parasites lose structural integrity outside the host cell [PMID:29062899]. Beyond this localization and loss-of-function phenotype, no molecular partners, biochemical activity, or mechanism of recruitment have been characterized in the available corpus.","teleology":[{"year":2017,"claim":"Establishing when and where IMC7 is deposited addressed whether all IMC cytoskeletal proteins share a single assembly program; IMC7 was found to be recruited to the mother cytoskeleton in G1, outside cytokinesis, defining a temporal class distinct from daughter-bud IMC proteins.","evidence":"Cell-cycle stage-resolved immunofluorescence/imaging of tachyzoites","pmids":["29062899"],"confidence":"Medium","gaps":["No molecular mechanism for G1-specific recruitment identified","Partners mediating incorporation into the mother cytoskeleton unknown","No structural or biochemical characterization of the alveolin domain interaction"],"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]},{"year":2017,"claim":"Mapping IMC7 across the life cycle addressed whether its role is constitutive or stage-specialized, revealing stage-restricted dynamics: retained in macrogametocytes but lost in early microgametocytes and absent from sporozoites.","evidence":"Spatiotemporal localization analysis across life cycle stages by live imaging/immunofluorescence","pmids":["29062899"],"confidence":"Medium","gaps":["Functional significance of stage-specific retention/loss not tested","Regulation driving stage-specific expression unknown","No functional data in gametocyte or sporozoite stages"],"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]},{"year":2017,"claim":"Whether IMC7 contributes materially to parasite fitness was addressed by knockout, which showed loss of structural integrity of extracellular tachyzoites, establishing IMC7 as critical for stress resistance outside the host cell.","evidence":"Genetic knockout with structural/stress-resistance phenotypic readout in tachyzoites","pmids":["29062899"],"confidence":"Medium","gaps":["Mechanism linking IMC7 to structural integrity not resolved","Whether the defect reflects cytoskeletal instability versus another pathway untested","Single lab, single study; no complementation/rescue reported"],"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]},{"year":null,"claim":"The molecular partners, recruitment machinery, and biochemical basis by which IMC7 confers structural integrity remain unknown.","evidence":"No further characterization in the available corpus","pmids":[],"confidence":"Medium","gaps":["No interacting proteins identified","No structural model of the alveolin domain in this protein","Mechanism of stage-specific expression and G1 recruitment uncharacterized"],"attribution":[{"species":"Toxoplasma gondii","strain":""}]}],"mechanism_profile":{"molecular_activity":[],"localization":[],"pathway":[],"complexes":[],"partners":[],"other_free_text":["Recruited to mother cytoskeleton in G1, outside cytokinesis, distinct from daughter-bud IMC proteins [#2]","Stage-specific: present in tachyzoites, retained in macrogametocytes, lost in early microgametocytes, absent from sporozoites [#0]","Required for structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites; knockout abolishes integrity [#1]"]},"strain_conflicts":[]},"prefetch_data":{},"corpus_meta":[{"pmid":"29062899","id":"PMC_29062899","title":"Differential Roles for Inner Membrane Complex Proteins across Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona Development.","date":"2017","source":"mSphere","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29062899","citation_count":50,"is_preprint":false}],"cost":{"stage1":{"model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","input_tokens":6563,"output_tokens":832,"usd":0.026974,"retried_sync":true},"stage2":{"model":"claude-opus-4-8","input_tokens":5589,"output_tokens":1892,"usd":0.037623,"stage2_stop_reason":"end_turn"},"total_usd":0.0,"stage1_batch_id":"msgbatch_01WgHz6kceqm573AGLyz57at","stage2_batch_id":"msgbatch_01LK4wDYj5zYquahv7gi9893","note":"batch pricing = 50% of standard","skipped":true},"stage1_raw":"```json\n{\n  \"discoveries\": [\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"finding\": \"IMC7 (TG_260540) is present exclusively in the mother's cytoskeleton during asexual division of Toxoplasma tachyzoites, is lost in early microgametocytes but retained in macrogametocytes until late in their development, and is absent from sporozoites.\",\n      \"method\": \"Spatiotemporal localization analysis across life cycle stages (live imaging / immunofluorescence)\",\n      \"journal\": \"mSphere\",\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 / Moderate — direct localization experiments across multiple developmental stages in a single study with multiple stage comparisons, but no functional reconstitution or mutagenesis\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false,\n      \"attribution\": [\n        {\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"finding\": \"Knockout of IMC7 (TG_260540) in Toxoplasma tachyzoites results in loss of structural integrity of extracellular tachyzoites, demonstrating that IMC7 is critical for stress resistance of extracellular parasites.\",\n      \"method\": \"Genetic knockout (loss-of-function) with structural/stress-resistance phenotypic readout\",\n      \"journal\": \"mSphere\",\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 / Moderate — clean knockout with defined cellular phenotype (extracellular tachyzoite structural integrity), single lab, single study\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false,\n      \"attribution\": [\n        {\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"finding\": \"IMC7 (TG_260540) is recruited to the cytoskeleton outside of cytokinesis (in the G1 cell cycle stage), placing it in a distinct temporal class of IMC proteins from those incorporated into daughter buds during division.\",\n      \"method\": \"Cell-cycle stage-resolved localization analysis (immunofluorescence/imaging)\",\n      \"journal\": \"mSphere\",\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 / Moderate — direct localization experiment tied to cell cycle stage with functional implication, single lab\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false,\n      \"attribution\": [\n        {\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}\n      ]\n    }\n  ],\n  \"current_model\": \"IMC7 (TG_260540) is an alveolin domain-containing inner membrane complex protein in Toxoplasma gondii that localizes exclusively to the mother cytoskeleton during asexual tachyzoite division (recruited in G1, outside cytokinesis) and is required for the structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites; it shows stage-specific dynamics across the life cycle, being retained in macrogametocytes but absent from sporozoites.\"\n}\n```","stage2_raw":"{\n  \"mechanistic_narrative\": \"ALV9/IMC7 (TG_260540) is an alveolin domain-containing component of the Toxoplasma gondii inner membrane complex cytoskeleton whose defining feature is its temporal and stage-specific behavior during the parasite life cycle [#0, #2]. Unlike IMC proteins that are incorporated into nascent daughter buds during endodyogeny, IMC7 is recruited to the mother's cytoskeleton in the G1 phase, outside of cytokinesis, marking it as a distinct temporal class of IMC protein [#2]. Its expression is stage-restricted across development: present in dividing asexual tachyzoites, lost in early microgametocytes, retained in macrogametocytes until late development, and absent from sporozoites [#0]. Functionally, IMC7 is required for the structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites, as knockout parasites lose structural integrity outside the host cell [#1]. Beyond this localization and loss-of-function phenotype, no molecular partners, biochemical activity, or mechanism of recruitment have been characterized in the available corpus.\",\n  \"teleology\": [\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"claim\": \"Establishing when and where IMC7 is deposited addressed whether all IMC cytoskeletal proteins share a single assembly program; IMC7 was found to be recruited to the mother cytoskeleton in G1, outside cytokinesis, defining a temporal class distinct from daughter-bud IMC proteins.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Cell-cycle stage-resolved immunofluorescence/imaging of tachyzoites\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"No molecular mechanism for G1-specific recruitment identified\",\n        \"Partners mediating incorporation into the mother cytoskeleton unknown\",\n        \"No structural or biochemical characterization of the alveolin domain interaction\"\n      ],\n      \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"claim\": \"Mapping IMC7 across the life cycle addressed whether its role is constitutive or stage-specialized, revealing stage-restricted dynamics: retained in macrogametocytes but lost in early microgametocytes and absent from sporozoites.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Spatiotemporal localization analysis across life cycle stages by live imaging/immunofluorescence\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"Functional significance of stage-specific retention/loss not tested\",\n        \"Regulation driving stage-specific expression unknown\",\n        \"No functional data in gametocyte or sporozoite stages\"\n      ],\n      \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2017,\n      \"claim\": \"Whether IMC7 contributes materially to parasite fitness was addressed by knockout, which showed loss of structural integrity of extracellular tachyzoites, establishing IMC7 as critical for stress resistance outside the host cell.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Genetic knockout with structural/stress-resistance phenotypic readout in tachyzoites\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"29062899\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"Mechanism linking IMC7 to structural integrity not resolved\",\n        \"Whether the defect reflects cytoskeletal instability versus another pathway untested\",\n        \"Single lab, single study; no complementation/rescue reported\"\n      ],\n      \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": null,\n      \"claim\": \"The molecular partners, recruitment machinery, and biochemical basis by which IMC7 confers structural integrity remain unknown.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"No further characterization in the available corpus\",\n      \"pmids\": [],\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"No interacting proteins identified\",\n        \"No structural model of the alveolin domain in this protein\",\n        \"Mechanism of stage-specific expression and G1 recruitment uncharacterized\"\n      ],\n      \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]\n    }\n  ],\n  \"mechanism_profile\": {\n    \"molecular_activity\": [],\n    \"localization\": [\n      {\"term_id\": \"inner membrane complex / mother cytoskeleton\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [0, 2], \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]}\n    ],\n    \"pathway\": [\n      {\"term_id\": \"asexual division / endodyogeny cytoskeletal assembly\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [2], \"attribution\": [{\"species\": \"Toxoplasma gondii\", \"strain\": \"\"}]}\n    ],\n    \"complexes\": [],\n    \"partners\": [],\n    \"other_free_text\": [\n      \"Recruited to mother cytoskeleton in G1, outside cytokinesis, distinct from daughter-bud IMC proteins [#2]\",\n      \"Stage-specific: present in tachyzoites, retained in macrogametocytes, lost in early microgametocytes, absent from sporozoites [#0]\",\n      \"Required for structural integrity and stress resistance of extracellular tachyzoites; knockout abolishes integrity [#1]\"\n    ]\n  },\n  \"strain_conflicts\": []\n}","audit_flag":null,"strains":[{"strain":"ME49","gene_id":"TGME49_260540","name":"ALV9","product":"alveolin domain containing intermediate filament IMC14","uniprot_acc":"A0A125YGR4","chromosome":"TGME49_chrVIIb","start_pos":2169021},{"strain":"GT1","gene_id":"TGGT1_260540","name":null,"product":"alveolin domain containing intermediate filament IMC14","uniprot_acc":null,"chromosome":"TGGT1_chrVIIb","start_pos":2144399},{"strain":"RH88","gene_id":"TGRH88_069790","name":null,"product":"alveolin domain containing intermediate filament IMC14","uniprot_acc":null,"chromosome":"CM023089","start_pos":2190077},{"strain":"VEG","gene_id":"TGVEG_260540","name":null,"product":"alveolin domain containing intermediate filament IMC14","uniprot_acc":"V4YVB5","chromosome":"TGVEG_chrVIIb","start_pos":2184733}]}