title: Developmental expression of two spore wall proteins during maturation of the microsporidian Encephalitozoon intestinalis.
abstract: Microsporidia are intracellular eukaryotes that infect many animals and cause opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. The disease is transmitted via environmentally resistant spores. Two spore wall constituents from the microsporidian Encephalitozoon intestinalis were characterized. Spore wall protein 1 (SWP1), a 50-kDa glycoprotein recognized by monoclonal antibody (MAb) 11B2, was detected in developing sporonts and at low levels on the surfaces of mature spores. In contrast, SWP2, a 150-kDa glycoprotein recognized by MAb 7G7, was detected on fully formed sporonts and was more abundant on mature spores than SWP1. Nevertheless, the SWPs appeared to be complexed on the surfaces of mature spores. SWP1 and SWP2 are similar at the DNA and protein levels and have 10 conserved cysteines in the N-terminal domain, suggesting similar secondary structures. The C-terminal domain of SWP2 has a unique region containing 50 repeating 12- or 15-amino-acid units that lacks homology to known protein motifs. Antibodies from mice infected with E. intestinalis recognized SWP1 and SWP2. The characterization of two immunogenic SWPs from E. intestinalis will allow the study of exospore structure and function and may lead to the development of useful tools in the diagnosis and treatment of microsporidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0425, USA. rhayman@niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hayman
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amon
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003545:Cysteine; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016819:Encephalitozoon / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006031:Glycosylation; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014709:Vero Cells; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor; D000946:Antigens, Fungal
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D003545:Cysteine; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor; C101683:SNF12 protein, S cerevisiae; C439651:SWP2 protein, Encephalitozoon intestinalis; D000946:Antigens, Fungal