Giardia lamblia: intracellular localization of alpha8-giardin.
Alpha8-giardin (α8-giardin) is a member of the multi-gene α-giardin family in the intestinal parasitic protozoan, Giardia lamblia. This gene family shares an ancestry with the annexin super family, whose common characteristic is calcium dependent binding to membranes that contain acidic phospholipids. In the present study, the antigenicity, hydrophilicity, flexibility, surface probability, and secondary structure of α8-giardin amino acids were predicted by bioinformatics applications. A specific anti-peptide antiserum, anti-P3, was used to determine the intracellular location of α8-giardin with confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. The results indicated that α8-giardin was located on the plasma membrane and flagella, but not on the ventral disk. Reduction of α8-giardin transcript levels by ribozyme-mediated cleavage decreased trophozoite motility and growth rate, indicating the functional importance of α8-giardin to Giardia trophozoite biology.
Department of Parasitology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Chao Jun
CJ
Wei
Xi Feng
XF
Tian
Rodney D
RD
Adam
Si Qi
SQ
Lu
D000818:Animals; D017302:Annexins / Q000737:chemistry; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D005407:Flagella / Q000737:chemistry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D014162:Transfection
D017302:Annexins; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C038207:giardin protein, Giardia lamblia