The intestinal protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica contains 20 cysteine protease genes, of which only a small subset is expressed during in vitro cultivation.

ABSTRACT: Cysteine proteases are known to be important pathogenicity factors of the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. So far, a total of eight genes coding for cysteine proteases have been identified in E. histolytica, two of which are absent in the closely related nonpathogenic species E. dispar. However, present knowledge is restricted to enzymes expressed during in vitro cultivation of the parasite, which might represent only a subset of the entire repertoire. Taking advantage of the current E. histolytica genome-sequencing efforts, we analyzed databases containing more than 99% of all ameba gene sequences for the presence of cysteine protease genes. A total of 20 full-length genes was identified (including all eight genes previously reported), which show 10 to 86% sequence identity. The

SUBMITTER: Bruchhaus I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC161451 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature