Preliminary characterization of an organism isolated from a case of Viluy encephalomyelitis indicates a protozoal, rather than viral, aetiology.
A microbial agent was isolated previously from a case of Viluy encephalomyelitis and named the 'KPN agent' after the initials of the patient. Here a detailed characterization of nucleic acids extracted from the purified KPN agent is presented. The agent contains both DNA and RNA, and has its own tRNAs and some other low-Mr RNAs, including 5S RNA. These findings, and the isolation of eukaryotic-type ribosomes, suggest that the KPN agent is not a virus, as believed before, but a more complex micro-organism, with protein-synthesizing capacity. The nucleotide sequence of the 5S RNA in the ribosomes of the KPN agent is identical with the sequence of 5S RNA of Acanthamoeba castellanii. The novel protozoan nature of the KPN agent is discussed in relation to other unusual properties of this micro-organism. Some implications of these results for the aetiology of Viluy encephalomyelitis are also discussed.
D000562:Amebiasis / Q000150:complications*; D000656:Amoeba / Q000032:analysis*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000032:analysis
D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA