title: Pantropic retroviral vectors mediate gene transfer and expression in Entamoeba histolytica.
abstract: Transformation of Entamoeba histolytica has been previously reported, but the foreign genes have all been replicated episomally. Pantropic retroviral vectors based on the Moloney murine leukemia virus with the envelope glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-G) have an extremely broad host range and can be concentrated to high titer. To investigate whether these pseudotyped, pantropic vectors can mediate gene transfer and expression in E. histolytica, we constructed a retroviral vector, in which a hygromycin phosphotransferase is expressed from the E. histolytica actin promoter. Data confirm the infection, integration, and expression of a foreign gene mediated by the provirus. To our knowledge, this is the most evolutionarily distant example of successful integration and expression of a mammalian retrovirus. Pantropic retroviral vectors may thus facilitate genetic analysis in species lacking transformation systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, 92103, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Que
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alagon
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shike
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000235:genetics*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus; D014170:Transformation, Genetic