title: Acanthamoeba and mimivirus interactions: the role of amoebal encystment and the expansion of the 'Cheshire Cat' theory.
abstract: Acanthamoeba are natural hosts for giant viruses and their life cycle comprises two stages: a trophozoite and a cryptobiotic cyst. Encystment involves a massive turnover of cellular components under molecular regulation. Giant viruses are able to infect only the trophozoite, while cysts are resistant to infection. Otherwise, upon infection, mimiviruses are able to prevent encystment. This review highlights the important points of Acanthamoeba and giant virus interactions regarding the encystment process. The existence of an acanthamoebal non-permissive cell for Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus, the prototype member of the Mimivirus genus, is analyzed at the molecular and ecological levels, and compared to a similar phenomenon previously described for Emiliana huxleyi and its associated phycodnaviruses: the 'Cheshire Cat' escape strategy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil (UFMG), Postal code 486, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ludmila Karen Dos Santos
authors.initials: LKDS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil (UFMG), Postal code 486, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Victor Miranda
authors.initials: PVM
authors.lastname: Boratto
authors.affiliation: URMITE CNRS UMR 6236-IRD 3R198, Aix Marseille Universite, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: La Scola
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil (UFMG), Postal code 486, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio Antônio
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bonjardim
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil (UFMG), Postal code 486, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: jonatas.abrahao@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jônatas Santos
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Abrahão
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000821:virology*; D000072139:Giant Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics*; D056686:Mimiviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D000069289:Parasite Encystment / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000821:virology