title: Presence of centrin in the human parasite Giardia: a further indication of its ubiquity in eukaryotes.
abstract: The presence and distribution of the cytoskeletal protein centrin in the lower eukaryote Giardia were determined using a monoclonal antibody to algal centrin. Immunofluorescence shows that centrin is a major component of rodlike structures associated with the flagella and strongly attached to the ventral disc and the 2 nuclei. Two groups of spots are also highlighted at the top of each nucleus where the basal bodies are situated. Western blot analysis revealed a single 23-kDa polypeptide. These findings support the ubiquity of centrin and its ancient evolutionary origin and also underline cytoskeleton complexity of Giardia, the reportedly most primitive eukaryotic organism known.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, UBC, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belhadri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D003285:Contractile Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D008970:Molecular Weight; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D003285:Contractile Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C056608:caltractin