title: Proteomic analysis of the ventral disc of Giardia lamblia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Giardia lamblia is a multiflagellated protozoan that inhabits the small intestine of vertebrates, causing giardiasis. To colonize the small intestine, the trophozoites form of the parasite remains attached to intestinal epithelial cells by means of cytoskeletal elements that form a structure known as the ventral disc. Previous studies have shown that the ventral disc is made of tubulin and giardins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To obtain further information on the composition of the ventral disc, we developed a new protocol and evaluated the purity of the isolation by transmission electron microscopy. Using 1D- and 2D-PAGE and mass spectrometry, we identified proteins with functions associated with the disc. In addition to finding tubulin and giardin, proteins known to be associated with the ventral disc, we also identified proteins annotated in the Giardia genome, but whose function was previously unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The isolation of the ventral disc shown in this work, compared to previously published protocols, proved to be more efficient. Proteomic analysis showed the presence of several proteins whose further characterization may help in the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in the attachment of the protozoan to epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade Industrial - INMETRO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. wsouza@biof.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.forename: Iamara da Silva
authors.initials: Ida S
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Letícia Labati
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.forename: Patricia Ramos
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Russolina Benedeta
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Zingali
authors.forename: Wanderley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Souza