The Entamoeba histolytica genome: primary structure and expression of proteolytic enzymes. 2007

Manuela Tillack, and Laura Biller, and Henriette Irmer, and Michelle Freitas, and Maria A Gomes, and Egbert Tannich, and Iris Bruchhaus
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany. tillack@bni-hamburg.de <tillack@bni-hamburg.de>

BACKGROUND A number of studies have shown that peptidases and in particular cysteine peptidases constitute major pathogenicity factors in Entamoeba histolytica. Recent studies have suggested that a considerable number of genes coding for proteolytic enzymes are present within the E. histolytica genome and questions remain about the mode of expression of the various molecules. RESULTS By homology search within the recently published amoeba genome, we identified a total of 86 E. histolytica genes coding for putative peptidases, including 46 recently described peptidase genes. In total these comprise (i) 50 cysteine peptidases of different families but most of which belong to the C1 papain superfamily, (ii) 22 different metallo peptidases from at least 11 different families, (iii) 10 serine peptidases belonging to 3 different families, and (iv) 4 aspartic peptidases of only one family. Using an oligonucleotide microarray, peptidase gene expression patterns of 7 different E. histolytica isolates as well as of heat stressed cells were analysed. A total of 21 out of 79 amoeba peptidase genes analysed were found to be significantly expressed under standard axenic culture conditions whereas the remaining are not expressed or at very low levels only. In heat-stressed cells the expression of 2 and 3 peptidase genes, respectively, were either decreased or increased. Only minor differences were observed between the various isolates investigated, despite the fact that these isolates were originated from asymptomatic individuals or from patients with various forms of amoebic diseases. CONCLUSIONS Entamoeba histolytica possesses a large number of genes coding for proteolytic enzymes. Under standard culture conditions or upon heat-stress only a relatively small number of these genes is significantly expressed and only very few variations become apparent between various clinical E. histolytica isolates, calling into question the importance of these enzymes in E. histolytica pathogenicity. Further studies are required to define the precise role of most of the proteolytic enzyme for amoeba cell biology but in particular for E. histolytica virulence.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010447 Peptide Hydrolases Hydrolases that specifically cleave the peptide bonds found in PROTEINS and PEPTIDES. Examples of sub-subclasses for this group include EXOPEPTIDASES and ENDOPEPTIDASES. Peptidase,Peptidases,Peptide Hydrolase,Protease,Proteases,Proteinase,Proteinases,Proteolytic Enzyme,Proteolytic Enzymes,Esteroproteases,Enzyme, Proteolytic,Hydrolase, Peptide
D004748 Entamoeba histolytica A species of parasitic protozoa causing ENTAMOEBIASIS and amebic dysentery (DYSENTERY, AMEBIC). Characteristics include a single nucleus containing a small central karyosome and peripheral chromatin that is finely and regularly beaded. Endamoeba histolytica,histolytica, Endamoeba
D006358 Hot Temperature Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm. Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001483 Base Sequence The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence. DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D018503 Genome, Protozoan The complete genetic complement contained in a set of CHROMOSOMES in a protozoan. Protozoan Genome,Genomes, Protozoan,Protozoan Genomes
D019295 Computational Biology A field of biology concerned with the development of techniques for the collection and manipulation of biological data, and the use of such data to make biological discoveries or predictions. This field encompasses all computational methods and theories for solving biological problems including manipulation of models and datasets. Bioinformatics,Molecular Biology, Computational,Bio-Informatics,Biology, Computational,Computational Molecular Biology,Bio Informatics,Bio-Informatic,Bioinformatic,Biologies, Computational Molecular,Biology, Computational Molecular,Computational Molecular Biologies,Molecular Biologies, Computational
D020411 Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis Hybridization of a nucleic acid sample to a very large set of OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBES, which have been attached individually in columns and rows to a solid support, to determine a BASE SEQUENCE, or to detect variations in a gene sequence, GENE EXPRESSION, or for GENE MAPPING. DNA Microarrays,Gene Expression Microarray Analysis,Oligonucleotide Arrays,cDNA Microarrays,DNA Arrays,DNA Chips,DNA Microchips,Gene Chips,Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis,Oligonucleotide Microarrays,Sequence Analysis, Oligonucleotide Array,cDNA Arrays,Array, DNA,Array, Oligonucleotide,Array, cDNA,Arrays, DNA,Arrays, Oligonucleotide,Arrays, cDNA,Chip, DNA,Chip, Gene,Chips, DNA,Chips, Gene,DNA Array,DNA Chip,DNA Microarray,DNA Microchip,Gene Chip,Microarray, DNA,Microarray, Oligonucleotide,Microarray, cDNA,Microarrays, DNA,Microarrays, Oligonucleotide,Microarrays, cDNA,Microchip, DNA,Microchips, DNA,Oligonucleotide Array,Oligonucleotide Microarray,cDNA Array,cDNA Microarray
D020869 Gene Expression Profiling The determination of the pattern of genes expressed at the level of GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION, under specific circumstances or in a specific cell. Gene Expression Analysis,Gene Expression Pattern Analysis,Transcript Expression Analysis,Transcriptome Profiling,Transcriptomics,mRNA Differential Display,Gene Expression Monitoring,Transcriptome Analysis,Analyses, Gene Expression,Analyses, Transcript Expression,Analyses, Transcriptome,Analysis, Gene Expression,Analysis, Transcript Expression,Analysis, Transcriptome,Differential Display, mRNA,Differential Displays, mRNA,Expression Analyses, Gene,Expression Analysis, Gene,Gene Expression Analyses,Gene Expression Monitorings,Gene Expression Profilings,Monitoring, Gene Expression,Monitorings, Gene Expression,Profiling, Gene Expression,Profiling, Transcriptome,Profilings, Gene Expression,Profilings, Transcriptome,Transcript Expression Analyses,Transcriptome Analyses,Transcriptome Profilings,mRNA Differential Displays
D030561 Databases, Nucleic Acid Databases containing information about NUCLEIC ACIDS such as BASE SEQUENCE; SNPS; NUCLEIC ACID CONFORMATION; and other properties. Information about the DNA fragments kept in a GENE LIBRARY or GENOMIC LIBRARY is often maintained in DNA databases. DDBJ,DNA Data Bank of Japan,DNA Data Banks,DNA Databases,Databases, DNA,Databases, DNA Sequence,Databases, Nucleic Acid Sequence,Databases, RNA,Databases, RNA Sequence,EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database,GenBank,Nucleic Acid Databases,RNA Databases,DNA Databanks,DNA Sequence Databases,European Molecular Biology Laboratory Nucleotide Sequence Database,Nucleic Acid Sequence Databases,RNA Sequence Databases,Bank, DNA Data,Banks, DNA Data,DNA Data Bank,DNA Databank,DNA Database,DNA Sequence Database,Data Bank, DNA,Data Banks, DNA,Databank, DNA,Databanks, DNA,Database, DNA,Database, DNA Sequence,Database, Nucleic Acid,Database, RNA,Database, RNA Sequence,Nucleic Acid Database,RNA Database,RNA Sequence Database,Sequence Database, DNA,Sequence Database, RNA,Sequence Databases, DNA,Sequence Databases, RNA

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