This pathway is required for host protection since mice deficient in Beclin 1, mice with defective expression of Atg7 in microglia/macrophages and CD40−/− mice exhibit impaired autophagy protein-dependent killing of T. gondii and are susceptible to cerebral and ocular toxoplasmosis despite induction of T. gondii-specific T cell response, upregulation of IFN-γ, TNF-α and NOS2 and unimpaired IFN-γ-induced anti-microbial activity in microglia/macrophages. The gene discussed is IFNG; the disease is ocular toxoplasmosis.