The genome of the protist parasite Entamoeba histolytica
Amoebiasis: a well-tuned genome The genome sequence of the pathogen Entamoeba histolytica is reported this week. E. histolytica causes amoebiasis, the second most deadly protozoan disease after malaria. The genome contains adaptations shared with other anaerobic pathogens such as Trichomonas and Gia...
Gespeichert in:
Veröffentlicht in: | Nature (London) 2005-02, Vol.433 (7028), p.865-868 |
---|---|
Hauptverfasser: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
Schlagworte: | |
Online-Zugang: | Volltext |
Tags: |
Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
|
Zusammenfassung: | Amoebiasis: a well-tuned genome
The genome sequence of the pathogen
Entamoeba histolytica
is reported this week.
E. histolytica
causes amoebiasis, the second most deadly protozoan disease after malaria. The genome contains adaptations shared with other anaerobic pathogens such as
Trichomonas
and
Giardia
. And there is evidence that the genome has been shaped by many gene transfers from bacteria, which may suggest possible targets for drugs against these organisms. The identification of a large number of sensing and signalling proteins challenges the idea that
E. histolytica
is a simple organism: in fact it is finely attuned to its environment.
Entamoeba histolytica
is an intestinal parasite and the causative agent of amoebiasis, which is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in developing countries
1
. Here we present the genome of
E. histolytica
, which reveals a variety of metabolic adaptations shared with two other amitochondrial protist pathogens:
Giardia lamblia
and
Trichomonas vaginalis
. These adaptations include reduction or elimination of most mitochondrial metabolic pathways and the use of oxidative stress enzymes generally associated with anaerobic prokaryotes. Phylogenomic analysis identifies evidence for lateral gene transfer of bacterial genes into the
E. histolytica
genome, the effects of which centre on expanding aspects of
E. histolytica
's metabolic repertoire. The presence of these genes and the potential for novel metabolic pathways in
E. histolytica
may allow for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. The genome encodes a large number of novel receptor kinases and contains expansions of a variety of gene families, including those associated with virulence. Additional genome features include an abundance of tandemly repeated transfer-RNA-containing arrays, which may have a structural function in the genome. Analysis of the genome provides new insights into the workings and genome evolution of a major human pathogen. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 0028-0836 1476-4687 |
DOI: | 10.1038/nature03291 |