title: Transcriptome analyses of the Giardia lamblia life cycle.
abstract: We quantified mRNA abundance from 10 stages in the Giardia lamblia life cycle in vitro using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE). 163 abundant transcripts were expressed constitutively. 71 transcripts were upregulated specifically during excystation and 42 during encystation. Nonetheless, the transcriptomes of cysts and trophozoites showed major differences. SAGE detected co-expressed clusters of 284 transcripts differentially expressed in cysts and excyzoites and 287 transcripts in vegetative trophozoites and encysting cells. All clusters included known genes and pathways as well as proteins unique to Giardia or diplomonads. SAGE analysis of the Giardia life cycle identified a number of kinases, phosphatases, and DNA replication proteins involved in excystation and encystation, which could be important for examining the roles of cell signaling in giardial differentiation. Overall, these data pave the way for directed gene discovery and a better understanding of the biology of G. lamblia.
authors.affiliation: Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Shanda R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Birkeland
authors.forename: Sarah P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Preheim
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Davids
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cipriano
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palm
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.forename: Staffan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Svärd
authors.forename: Frances D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Gillin
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: McArthur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins