The genome of the protist parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal parasite and the causative agent of amoebiasis, which is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Here we present the genome of E. histolytica, which reveals a variety of metabolic adaptations shared with two other amitochondrial protist pathogens: Giardia lamblia and Trichomonas vaginalis. These adaptations include reduction or elimination of most mitochondrial metabolic pathways and the use of oxidative stress enzymes generally associated with anaerobic prokaryotes. Phylogenomic analysis identifies evidence for lateral gene transfer of bacterial genes into the E. histolytica genome, the effects of which centre on expanding aspects of E. histolytica's metabolic repertoire. The presence of these genes and the potential for novel metabolic pathways in E. histolytica may allow for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. The genome encodes a large number of novel receptor kinases and contains expansions of a variety of gene families, including those associated with virulence. Additional genome features include an abundance of tandemly repeated transfer-RNA-containing arrays, which may have a structural function in the genome. Analysis of the genome provides new insights into the workings and genome evolution of a major human pathogen.
Loftus
Brendan
B
TIGR, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA. bjloftus@tigr.org
Anderson
Iain
I
Davies
Rob
R
Alsmark
U Cecilia M
UC
Samuelson
John
J
Amedeo
Paolo
P
Roncaglia
Paola
P
Berriman
Matt
M
Hirt
Robert P
RP
Mann
Barbara J
BJ
Nozaki
Tomo
T
Suh
Bernard
B
Pop
Mihai
M
Duchene
Michael
M
Ackers
John
J
Tannich
Egbert
E
Leippe
Matthias
M
Hofer
Margit
M
Bruchhaus
Iris
I
Willhoeft
Ute
U
Bhattacharya
Alok
A
Chillingworth
Tracey
T
Churcher
Carol
C
Hance
Zahra
Z
Harris
Barbara
B
Harris
David
D
Jagels
Kay
K
Moule
Sharon
S
Mungall
Karen
K
Ormond
Doug
D
Squares
Rob
R
Whitehead
Sally
S
Quail
Michael A
MA
Rabbinowitsch
Ester
E
Norbertczak
Halina
H
Price
Claire
C
Wang
Zheng
Z
Guillén
Nancy
N
Gilchrist
Carol
C
Stroup
Suzanne E
SE
Bhattacharya
Sudha
S
Lohia
Anuradha
A
Foster
Peter G
PG
Sicheritz-Ponten
Thomas
T
Weber
Christian
C
Singh
Upinder
U
Mukherjee
Chandrama
C
El-Sayed
Najib M
NM
Petri
William A
WA
Clark
C Graham
CG
Embley
T Martin
TM
Barrell
Bart
B
Fraser
Claire M
CM
Hall
Neil
N
D000818:Animals; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005285:Fermentation; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal / Q000235:genetics; D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D006019:Glycolysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics