title: The Transcriptome Sequence of Dientamoeba fragilis Offers New Biological Insights on its Metabolism, Kinome, Degradome and Potential Mechanisms of Pathogenicity.
abstract: Dientamoeba fragilis is a human bowel parasite with a worldwide distribution. Dientamoeba was once described as a rare and harmless commensal though recent reports suggest it is common and potentially pathogenic. Molecular data on Dientamoeba is scarce which limits our understanding of this parasite. To address this, sequencing of the Dientamoeba transcriptome was performed. Messenger RNA was extracted from cultured Dientamoeba trophozoites originating from clinical stool specimens, and sequenced using Roche GS FLX and Illumina HiSeq technologies. In total 6,595 Dientamoeba transcripts were identified. These sequences were analysed using the BLAST2GO software suite and via BLAST comparisons to sequences available from TrichDB, GenBank, MEROPS and kinase.com. Several novel KEGG pathway maps were generated and gene ontology analysis was also performed. These results are thoroughly discussed guided by knowledge available for other related protozoa. Attention is paid to the novel biological insights afforded by this data including peptidases and kinases of Dientamoeba, as well as its metabolism, novel chemotherapeutics and possible mechanisms of pathogenicity. Currently, this work represents the largest contribution to our understanding of Dientamoeba molecular biology and also represents a major contribution to our understanding of the trichomonads generally, many of which are important pathogens of humans and animals.
authors.affiliation: University of Technology Sydney, iThree Institute, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, School of Life Sciences, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia. Electronic address: joel.barratt-1@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Joel L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barratt
authors.affiliation: University of Technology Sydney, School of Life Sciences, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Maisie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: University of Technology Sydney, School of Life Sciences, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia; Division of Microbiology, Sydpath, St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Damien J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: University of Technology Sydney, School of Life Sciences, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics; D004029:Dientamoeba / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004030:Dientamoebiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D059467:Transcriptome; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Dientamoeba fragilis; RNA-seq; degradome.; kinome; transcriptome; virulence