Transcriptional responses by Trichomonas vaginalis in response to endosymbiotic Mycoplasma infection

The important sexually transmitted pathogen, Trichomonas vaginalis, forms close symbiotic relationships with Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma girerdii. In the case of M. girerdii, the association is particularly strong, and the bacteria can only be cultured in the presence of T. vaginalis. Symbiosis is likely to be of clinical significance, because M. hominis is a urogenital pathogen in its own right, and has a major impact on parasite pathobiology (growth rate, interaction with immune cells etc.). We aim to characterise differences in the T. vaginalis transcriptome which occur in response to symbiosis with M. hominis and M. girerdii.