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Evidence of Pneumocystis jiroveci in human clinical samples in southwestern Slovakia over a 10-year period (2001–2010). Biologia (Bratisl) 2013. [DOI: 10.2478/s11756-013-0199-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Jarboui MA, Mseddi F, Sellami H, Sellami A, Mahfoudh N, Makni F, Makni H, Ayadi A. A comparison of capillary electrophoresis and direct sequencing in upstream conserved sequence region analysis of Pneumocystis jirovecii strains. J Med Microbiol 2013; 62:560-564. [PMID: 23329318 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.045336-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The major surface glycoprotein (MSG) of Pneumocystis jirovecii is the most abundant surface protein and appears to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of pneumocystosis. The expressed MSG gene is located immediately downstream of a region called the upstream conserved sequence (UCS). The UCS contains a region of tandem repeats that vary in number and sequence. In the present study, we have used capillary electrophoresis and direct sequencing to detect the variability in the repeat units of UCS. By direct sequencing the PCR products from samples of 13 patients, we have identified three types of repeat units which consisted of 10 nt and three different patterns in the UCS region with three and four repeats: 1, 2, 3 (84.6 %); 1, 2, 3, 3 (8.2 %); and a new genotype 2, 2, 3, 3 (8.2 %). The same samples were analysed by capillary electrophoresis. Three samples (23 %) contained a mixture of two or three different patterns of UCS repeats. In conclusion, quantifying the number of repeat units in the UCS by capillary electrophoresis provides a potential new method for the rapid typing of P. jirovecii and the detection of mixed infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Jarboui
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - F Mseddi
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - H Sellami
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - A Sellami
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - N Mahfoudh
- Laboratory of Immunology, Hedi Chaker hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - F Makni
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - H Makni
- Laboratory of Immunology, Hedi Chaker hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - A Ayadi
- Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Sfax, Magida Boulila Street, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
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Spraguea lophii (Microsporidia) parasite of the teleost fish, Lophius piscatorius from Tunisian coasts: evidence for an extensive chromosome length polymorphism. Parasitol Int 2012; 62:66-74. [PMID: 23059913 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Revised: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A microsporidian of the genus Spraguea was found parasitizing the nervous tissues of Lophius piscatorius collected from various localities in the Mediterranean coastal areas of Tunisia. The tissue localization, the infection focus aspect and sporal dimorphism are characteristics of Spraguea lophii species. Molecular data based on partial sequence of SSUrRNA encoding gene shows few nucleotide polymorphisms, compared to all described Spraguea isolates. Molecular karyotype obtained on pulsed field gel electrophoresis (1D-PFGE) shows a profile with 14 stained bands in the range of 230-880 kbp and a genome size estimated to 6.700 kbp. The rare cutter endonuclease MluI KARD 2-D-PFGE fingerprint shows an extensive chromosome length polymorphism, but the number of chromosome is unchanged and consists of 15 different molecules. The extensive chromosome length polymorphism is associated to a reduced number of genetic events.
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Souza RT, Lima FM, Barros RM, Cortez DR, Santos MF, Cordero EM, Ruiz JC, Goldenberg S, Teixeira MMG, da Silveira JF. Genome size, karyotype polymorphism and chromosomal evolution in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23042. [PMID: 21857989 PMCID: PMC3155523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Trypanosoma cruzi genome was sequenced from a hybrid strain (CL Brener). However, high allelic variation and the repetitive nature of the genome have prevented the complete linear sequence of chromosomes being determined. Determining the full complement of chromosomes and establishing syntenic groups will be important in defining the structure of T. cruzi chromosomes. A large amount of information is now available for T. cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei, providing the opportunity to compare and describe the overall patterns of chromosomal evolution in these parasites. Methodology/Principal Findings The genome sizes, repetitive DNA contents, and the numbers and sizes of chromosomes of nine strains of T. cruzi from four lineages (TcI, TcII, TcV and TcVI) were determined. The genome of the TcI group was statistically smaller than other lineages, with the exception of the TcI isolate Tc1161 (José-IMT). Satellite DNA content was correlated with genome size for all isolates, but this was not accompanied by simultaneous amplification of retrotransposons. Regardless of chromosomal polymorphism, large syntenic groups are conserved among T. cruzi lineages. Duplicated chromosome-sized regions were identified and could be retained as paralogous loci, increasing the dosage of several genes. By comparing T. cruzi and T. brucei chromosomes, homologous chromosomal regions in T. brucei were identified. Chromosomes Tb9 and Tb11 of T. brucei share regions of syntenic homology with three and six T. cruzi chromosomal bands, respectively. Conclusions Despite genome size variation and karyotype polymorphism, T. cruzi lineages exhibit conservation of chromosome structure. Several syntenic groups are conserved among all isolates analyzed in this study. The syntenic regions are larger than expected if rearrangements occur randomly, suggesting that they are conserved owing to positive selection. Mapping of the syntenic regions on T. cruzi chromosomal bands provides evidence for the occurrence of fusion and split events involving T. brucei and T. cruzi chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata T. Souza
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fábio M. Lima
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Moraes Barros
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Danielle R. Cortez
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele F. Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Esteban M. Cordero
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marta M. G. Teixeira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Martinez A, Aliouat EM, Standaert-Vitse A, Werkmeister E, Pottier M, Pinçon C, Dei-Cas E, Aliouat-Denis CM. Ploidy of cell-sorted trophic and cystic forms of Pneumocystis carinii. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20935. [PMID: 21695077 PMCID: PMC3114859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2011] [Accepted: 05/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Once regarded as an AIDS-defining illness, Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) is nowadays prevailing in immunocompromised HIV-negative individuals such as patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies or affected by primary immunodeficiency. Moreover, Pneumocystis clinical spectrum is broadening to non-severely-immunocompromised subjects who could be colonized by the fungus while remaining asymptomatic for PcP, thus being able to transmit the infection by airborne route to susceptible hosts. Although the taxonomical position of the Pneumocystis genus has been clarified, several aspects of its life cycle remain elusive such as its mode of proliferation within the alveolus or its ploidy level. As no long-term culture model exists to grow Pneumocystis organisms in vitro, an option was to use a model of immunosuppressed rat infected with Pneumocystis carinii and sort life cycle stage fractions using a high-through-put cytometer. Subsequently, ploidy levels of the P. carinii trophic and cystic form fractions were measured by flow cytometry. In the cystic form, eight contents of DNA were measured thus strengthening the fact that each mature cyst contains eight haploid spores. Following release, each spore evolves into a trophic form. The majority of the trophic form fraction was haploid in our study. Some less abundant trophic forms displayed two contents of DNA indicating that they could undergo (i) mating/fusion leading to a diploid status or (ii) asexual mitotic division or (iii) both. Even less abundant trophic forms with four contents of DNA were suggestive of mitotic divisions occurring following mating in diploid trophic forms. Of interest, was the presence of trophic forms with three contents of DNA, an unusual finding that could be related to asymmetrical mitotic divisions occurring in other fungal species to create genetic diversity at lower energetic expenses than mating. Overall, ploidy data of P. carinii life cycle stages shed new light on the complexity of its modes of proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Martinez
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
| | - El Moukhtar Aliouat
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
| | - Annie Standaert-Vitse
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
| | - Elisabeth Werkmeister
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- MICPaL Facility, IFR142, CNRS UMR 8161, Lille, France
| | - Muriel Pottier
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
| | - Claire Pinçon
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
- EA2694, Department of Biostatistics, Lille, France
| | - Eduardo Dei-Cas
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
- Regional and University Hospital Center (CHULille), Biology & Pathology Center (CBP), Parasitology-Mycology, Lille, France
| | - Cécile-Marie Aliouat-Denis
- Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France
- INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Lille, France
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- UDSL (Université Droit et Santé de Lille), Lille, France
- * E-mail:
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Wyder MA, Johnston LQ, Kaneshiro ES. Evidence for DNA synthesis in Pneumocystis carinii trophozoites treated with the beta-1,3-glucan synthesis inhibitor pneumocandin L-693,989. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2010; 57:447-8. [PMID: 20738464 DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2010.00502.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocandins inhibit beta-1,3-glucan synthesis preventing the development of Pneumocystis cysts that are absent from the lungs of treated rats. To determine whether treated trophozoites are capable of DNA replication, cytochemical analyses were performed on 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)- and DB181-stained Pneumocystis carinii isolated from pneumocandin L-693-989-treated rats. Fluorescence intensities of trophozoite nuclei from drug-treated rats were greater than those of untreated controls, suggesting that DNA replication was not inhibited but that cytokinesis and perhaps karyokinesis were blocked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Wyder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0006, USA
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Chabé M, Aliouat-Denis CM, Delhaes L, Aliouat EM, Viscogliosi E, Dei-Cas E. Pneumocystis: from a doubtful unique entity to a group of highly diversified fungal species. FEMS Yeast Res 2010; 11:2-17. [PMID: 21114625 DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2010.00698.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
At the end of the 20th century the unique taxonomically enigmatic entity called Pneumocystis carinii was identified as a heterogeneous group of microscopic Fungi, constituted of multiple stenoxenic biological entities largely spread across ecosystems, closely adapted to, and coevolving in parallel with, mammal species. The discoveries and reasoning that led to the current conceptions about the taxonomy of Pneumocystis at the species level are examined here. The present review also focuses on the biological, morphological and phylogenetical features of Pneumocystis jirovecii, Pneumocystis oryctolagi, Pneumocystis murina, P. carinii and Pneumocystis wakefieldiae, the five Pneumocystis species described until now, mainly on the basis of the phylogenetic species concept. Interestingly, Pneumocystis organisms exhibit a successful adaptation enabling them to dwell and replicate in the lungs of both immunocompromised and healthy mammals, which can act as infection reservoirs. The role of healthy carriers in aerial disease transmission is nowadays recognized as a major contribution to Pneumocystis circulation, and Pneumocystis infection of nonimmunosuppressed hosts has emerged as a public health issue. More studies need to be undertaken both on the clinical consequences of the presence of Pneumocystis in healthy carriers and on the intricate Pneumocystis life cycle to better define its epidemiology, to adapt existing therapies to each clinical context and to discover new drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Chabé
- Biology and Diversity of Emergent Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDEEP)-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Pasteur Institute of Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, University Lille-Nord-de-France, Lille, France.
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Kutty G, Achaz G, Maldarelli F, Varma A, Shroff R, Becker S, Fantoni G, Kovacs JA. Characterization of the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1 of pneumocystis. J Infect Dis 2010; 202:1920-9. [PMID: 21050123 DOI: 10.1086/657414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The life cycle of Pneumocystis, which causes life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients, remains poorly defined. In the present study, we have identified and characterized an orthologue of dmc1, a gene specific for meiotic recombination in yeast, in 3 species of Pneumocystis. dmc1 is a single-copy gene that is transcribed as ∼1.2-kb messenger RNA, which encodes a protein of 336-337 amino acids. Pneumocystis Dmc1 was 61%-70% identical to those from yeast. Confocal microscopy results indicated that the expression of Dmc1 is primarily confined to the cyst form of Pneumocystis. By sequence analysis of 2 single-copy regions of the human Pneumocystis jirovecii genome, we can infer multiple recombination events, which are consistent with meiotic recombination in this primarily haploid organism. Taken together, these studies support the occurrence of a sexual phase in the life cycle of Pneumocystis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetha Kutty
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA
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Cushion MT, Stringer JR. Stealth and Opportunism: Alternative Lifestyles of Species in the Fungal GenusPneumocystis. Annu Rev Microbiol 2010; 64:431-52. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.112408.134335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie T. Cushion
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0560
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220;
| | - James R. Stringer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0560; ,
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Complexity of the MSG gene family of Pneumocystis carinii. BMC Genomics 2009; 10:367. [PMID: 19664205 PMCID: PMC2743713 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-10-367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 08/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The relationship between the parasitic fungus Pneumocystis carinii and its host, the laboratory rat, presumably involves features that allow the fungus to circumvent attacks by the immune system. It is hypothesized that the major surface glycoprotein (MSG) gene family endows Pneumocystis with the capacity to vary its surface. This gene family is comprised of approximately 80 genes, which each are approximately 3 kb long. Expression of the MSG gene family is regulated by a cis-dependent mechanism that involves a unique telomeric site in the genome called the expression site. Only the MSG gene adjacent to the expression site is represented by messenger RNA. Several P. carinii MSG genes have been sequenced, which showed that genes in the family can encode distinct isoforms of MSG. The vast majority of family members have not been characterized at the sequence level. Results The first 300 basepairs of MSG genes were subjected to analysis herein. Analysis of 581 MSG sequence reads from P. carinii genomic DNA yielded 281 different sequences. However, many of the sequence reads differed from others at only one site, a degree of variation consistent with that expected to be caused by error. Accounting for error reduced the number of truly distinct sequences observed to 158, roughly twice the number expected if the gene family contains 80 members. The size of the gene family was verified by PCR. The excess of distinct sequences appeared to be due to allelic variation. Discounting alleles, there were 73 different MSG genes observed. The 73 genes differed by 19% on average. Variable regions were rich in nucleotide differences that changed the encoded protein. The genes shared three regions in which at least 16 consecutive basepairs were invariant. There were numerous cases where two different genes were identical within a region that was variable among family members as a whole, suggesting recombination among family members. Conclusion A set of sequences that represents most if not all of the members of the P. carinii MSG gene family was obtained. The protein-changing nature of the variation among these sequences suggests that the family has been shaped by selection for protein variation, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the MSG gene family functions to enhance phenotypic variation among the members of a population of P. carinii.
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Aliouat-Denis CM, Martinez A, Aliouat EM, Pottier M, Gantois N, Dei-Cas E. The Pneumocystis life cycle. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104:419-26. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000300004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2008] [Accepted: 03/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Martinez
- University of Lille Nord de France, France; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - El Moukhtar Aliouat
- University of Lille Nord de France, France; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | | | | | - Eduardo Dei-Cas
- Pasteur Institute of Lille, France; University Hospital Center
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Li H, Miao J, Cui F, Li G. Characterization of cupric glutamate extinguishing mechanism of Alexandrium sp. LC3 with two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2008; 10:527-537. [PMID: 18449603 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-008-9091-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2007] [Revised: 02/04/2008] [Accepted: 02/26/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms by which cupric glutamate, a novel algicide, extinguishes Alexandrium sp. LC3 are shown in this study. We show that cupric glutamate not only stimulated the production of malonaldehyde (MDA) and dramatically promoted cell plasma membrane permeability (p < 0.01) but also remarkably reduced sulfhydryl (SH) group content (p < 0.01). Analysis of protein expression profiles by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) indicated that only 47 protein spots were detected in both control and cupric glutamate treated cells. Three reliable spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit precursor, RNA polymerase beta chain, and hypothetical protein, which can be well correlated with cupric glutamate stress. Based on above results, we hypothesize that the extinguishing mechanisms include (1) the cell membrane being damaged by cupric glutamate; (2) cupric glutamate probably induced denaturation and disintegration of intracellular protein, which led to inhibition of cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biological Active Substances, SOA., 6 Xian Xia-ling Road, Hi-Tech Park, Qingdao 266061, China.
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Dia N, Lavie L, Méténier G, Toguebaye BS, Vivarès CP, Cornillot E. InterB multigenic family, a gene repertoire associated with subterminal chromosome regions of Encephalitozoon cuniculi and conserved in several human-infecting microsporidian species. Curr Genet 2007; 51:171-86. [PMID: 17235519 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-006-0114-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2006] [Revised: 11/08/2006] [Accepted: 11/28/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Microsporidia are fungi-related obligate intracellular parasites that infect numerous animals, including man. Encephalitozoon cuniculi harbours a very small genome (2.9 Mbp) with about 2,000 coding sequences (CDSs). Most repeated CDSs are of unknown function and are distributed in subterminal regions that mark the transitions between subtelomeric rDNA units and chromosome cores. A potential multigenic family (interB) encoding proteins within a size range of 579-641 aa was investigated by PCR and RT-PCR. Thirty members were finally assigned to the E. cuniculi interB family and a predominant interB transcript was found to originate from a newly identified gene on chromosome III. Microsporidian species from eight different genera infecting insects, fishes or mammals, were tested for a possible intra-phylum conservation of interB genes. Only representatives of the Encephalitozoon, Vittaforma and Brachiola genera, differing in host range but all able to invade humans, were positive. Molecular karyotyping of Brachiola algerae showed a complex set of chromosome bands, providing a haploid genome size estimate of 15-20 Mbp. In spite of this large difference in genome complexity, B. algerae and E. cuniculi shared some similar interB gene copies and a common location of interB genes in near-rDNA subterminal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ndongo Dia
- Equipe Parasitologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Laboratoire de Biologie des Protistes, UMR CNRS 6023, Bâtiment Biologie A, Université Blaise Pascal, 63177 Aubière cedex, France
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15
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Keely SP, Linke MJ, Cushion MT, Stringer JR. Pneumocystis murina MSG gene family and the structure of the locus associated with its transcription. Fungal Genet Biol 2007; 44:905-19. [PMID: 17320432 PMCID: PMC2063445 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2007.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2006] [Revised: 12/26/2006] [Accepted: 01/03/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of the Pneumocystis murina MSG gene family and expression-site locus showed that, as in Pneumocystis carinii, P. murina MSG genes are arranged in head-to-tail tandem arrays located on multiple chromosomes, and that a variety of MSG genes can reside at the unique P. murina expression site. Located between the P. murina expression site and attached MSG gene is a block of 132 basepairs that is also present at the beginning of MSG genes that are not at the expression site. The center of this sequence block resembles the 28 basepair CRJE of P. carinii, but the block of conserved sequence in P. murina is nearly five times longer than in P. carinii, and much shorter than in P. wakefieldiae. These data indicate that the P. murina expression-site locus has a distinct structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott P Keely
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
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16
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Keely SP, Renauld H, Wakefield AE, Cushion MT, Smulian AG, Fosker N, Fraser A, Harris D, Murphy L, Price C, Quail MA, Seeger K, Sharp S, Tindal CJ, Warren T, Zuiderwijk E, Barrell BG, Stringer JR, Hall N. Gene arrays at Pneumocystis carinii telomeres. Genetics 2005; 170:1589-600. [PMID: 15965256 PMCID: PMC1449779 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.105.040733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fungus Pneumocystis carinii, at least three gene families (PRT1, MSR, and MSG) have the potential to generate high-frequency antigenic variation, which is likely to be a strategy by which this parasitic fungus is able to prolong its survival in the rat lung. Members of these gene families are clustered at chromosome termini, a location that fosters recombination, which has been implicated in selective expression of MSG genes. To gain insight into the architecture, evolution, and regulation of these gene clusters, six telomeric segments of the genome were sequenced. Each of the segments began with one or more unique genes, after which were members of different gene families, arranged in a head-to-tail array. The three-gene repeat PRT1-MSR-MSG was common, suggesting that duplications of these repeats have contributed to expansion of all three families. However, members of a gene family in an array were no more similar to one another than to members in other arrays, indicating rapid divergence after duplication. The intergenic spacers were more conserved than the genes and contained sequence motifs also present in subtelomeres, which in other species have been implicated in gene expression and recombination. Long mononucleotide tracts were present in some MSR genes. These unstable sequences can be expected to suffer frequent frameshift mutations, providing P. carinii with another mechanism to generate antigen variation.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Antigens, Fungal
- Base Sequence
- Chromosome Mapping
- Chromosomes, Fungal
- Cloning, Molecular
- Cosmids
- DNA, Fungal
- Evolution, Molecular
- Gene Duplication
- Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
- Gene Library
- Genes, Fungal
- Genetic Linkage
- Genome, Fungal
- Open Reading Frames
- Pneumocystis carinii/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Recombination, Genetic
- Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
- Selection, Genetic
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
- Telomere/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott P Keely
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
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Mansour L, Cheikali C, Desaunais P, Coulon JP, Daubin J, Hassine OKB, Vivarès CP, Jeanjean J, Cornillot E. Description of an ultrathin multiwire proportional chamber-based detector and application to the characterization of theSpraguea lophii(Microspora) two-dimensional genome fingerprint. Electrophoresis 2004; 25:3365-77. [PMID: 15490460 DOI: 10.1002/elps.200406089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Multiwire proportional chamber is a useful technology to build detectors that supersede the lack of interactivity of autoradiography in molecular biology experiments. Some drawbacks still limited the diffusion of existing instruments in biological laboratories. The major competitors are storage phosphor imaging systems. The simplified description of a radio-chromato-imager prototype (RCI) based on an original ultrathin multiwire proportional chamber is presented. It combines the advantage of the different existing technologies to present competitive properties in terms of efficiency, spatial resolution, robustness, manipulation easiness and production cost. Application of the RCI detector to molecular biology was performed by the analysis of karyotype and restriction display two-dimensional pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (KARD 2-D PFGE) data which are used to describe small eukaryotic genome structures. The comparative analysis with autoradiography was performed with the PDQuest software on Spraguea lophii (Microspora) genome fingerprints. The spot detection procedure applied to the different images leads to a similar conclusion considering the genome structure of S. lophii which appeared to be composed of 15 chromosomes for 13 karyotypic bands (200-880 kbp).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamjed Mansour
- Parasitologie Moléculaireet Cellulaire, Université Blaise Pascal, Aubière, France.
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