Molecular characteristics and physiology of microsporidia.
A survey of the molecular features of microsporidia is presented which attempts to comment on unresolved questions concerning the physiology of these amitochondrial intracellular parasites. Various transports of host-derived molecules can be predicted and trehalose appears as a potential reserve of glucose for energy metabolism. Significant insights into membrane lipids, polyamine metabolism and sporogony-specific proteins have been gained. Some species, such as Encephalitozoon cuniculi, are heterogeneous entities and harbor a small genome. Although showing a variation in genome size of 8.5-fold, microsporidia share reduced rDNA genes. Finally, data on gene organization and a possible evolutionary relationship with fungi are considered.
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Laboratoire de parasitologie moléculaire et cellulaire, LBP, UMC CNRS 6023 Biologie A, Université B. Pascal, 63177 cedex, Aubière, France. Guy.METENIER@lbp.univ-bpclermont.fr
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D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000502:physiology; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D021862:Enterocytozoon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal