Dataset Information

Enzymes of type II fatty acid synthesis and apicoplast differentiation and division in Eimeria tenella.

ABSTRACT: Apicomplexan parasites, Eimeria tenella, Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, possess a homologous plastid-like organelle termed the apicoplast, derived from the endosymbiotic enslavement of a photosynthetic alga. However, currently no eimerian nuclear encoded apicoplast targeted proteins have been identified, unlike in Plasmodium spp. and T. gondii. In this study, we demonstrate that nuclear encoded enoyl reductase of E. tenella (EtENR) has a predicted N-terminal bipartite transit sequence, typical of apicoplast-targeted proteins. Using a combination of immunocytochemistry and EM we demonstrate that this fatty acid biosynthesis protein is located in the apicoplast of E. tenella. Using the EtENR as a tool to mark apicoplast development during the Eimeria lifecycle, we demonstrate that nuclear and apicoplast division appear to be independent events, both organelles dividing prior to daughter cell formation, with each daughter cell possessing one to four apicoplasts. We believe this is the first report of multiple apicoplasts present in the infectious stage of an apicomplexan parasite. Furthermore, the microgametes lacked an identifiable apicoplast consistent with maternal inheritance via the macrogamete. It was found that the size of the organelle and the abundance of EtENR varied with developmental stage of the E. tenella lifecycle. The high levels of EtENR protein observed during asexual development and macrogametogony is potentially associated with the increased synthesis of fatty acids required for the rapid formation of numerous merozoites and for the extracellular development and survival of the oocyst. Taken together the data demonstrate that the E. tenella apicoplast participates in type II fatty acid biosynthesis with increased expression of ENR during parasite growth. Apicoplast division results in the simultaneous formation of multiple fragments. The division mechanism is unknown, but is independent of nuclear division and occurs prior to daughter formation.

SUBMITTER: Ferguson DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2803676 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Enzymes of type II fatty acid synthesis and apicoplast differentiation and division in Eimeria tenella.

Ferguson D J P DJ Campbell S A SA Henriquez F L FL Phan L L Mui E E Richards T A TA Muench S P SP Allary M M Lu J Z JZ Prigge S T ST Tomley F F Shirley M W MW Rice D W DW McLeod R R Roberts C W CW

International journal for parasitology 20061030 1

Apicomplexan parasites, Eimeria tenella, Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, possess a homologous plastid-like organelle termed the apicoplast, derived from the endosymbiotic enslavement of a photosynthetic alga. However, currently no eimerian nuclear encoded apicoplast targeted proteins have been identified, unlike in Plasmodium spp. and T. gondii. In this study, we demonstrate that nuclear encoded enoyl reductase of E. tenella (EtENR) has a predicted N-terminal bipartite transit sequence, t ...[more]

PMID: 17112527

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundChicken coccidiosis, a disease caused by seven species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Coccidia), inflicts severe economic losses on the poultry industry. Eimeria tenella is the one of the most virulent species pathogenic to chickens. Many parasitic protozoans are parasitised by double-stranded (ds) RNA viruses, and the influence of protozoan viruses on parasitic protozoans has been extensively reported. E. tenella RNA virus 1 (Etv) was identified in E. tenella, and the complete genome sequence of Etv was analysed. Here, we screened Etv-RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP)-interacting host protein E. tenella ovarian tumour (OTU) protein-like cysteine protease (Et-OTU) using a yeast two-hybrid system with pGBKT7-RDRP plasmid serving as bait. A previous study demonstrated that Et-OTU could regulate the telomerase activity of E. tenella, indicating that Et-OTU affects E. tenella proliferation. However, whether Etv-RDRP affects the molecular biological characteristics of E. tenella by interacting with OTU remains unclear.ResultsWe obtained seven positive clones from the initial screen, and six of the seven preys were identified as false-positives. Finally, we identified an RDRP-associated protein predicted to be an E. tenella OTU protein. A α-galactosidase assay showed that the bait vector did not activate the GAL4 reporter gene, indicating no autoactivation activity from the RDRP bait fusion. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays verified the interaction between Et-OTU and Etv-RDRP both intracellularly and extracellularly. Additionally, Et-OTU was able to deconjugate K48- and K6-linked di-ubiquitin (di-Ub) chains in vitro but not K63-, K11-, K29-, or K33-linked di-Ub chains. The C239A and H351A mutations eliminated the deubiquitinase (DUB) activity of Et-OTU, whereas the D236A mutation did not. Additionally, when combined with RDRP, the DUB activity of Et-OTU towards K48- and K6-linked chains was significantly enhanced.ConclusionEtv-RDRP interacts with Et-OTU both intracellularly and extracellularly. Etv-RDRP enhances the hydrolysis of Et-OTU to K6- or K48-linked ubiquitin chains. This study lays the foundation for further research on the relationship between E. tenella and Etv.

Dataset Information

Enzymes of type II fatty acid synthesis and apicoplast differentiation and division in Eimeria tenella.

Publications

Enzymes of type II fatty acid synthesis and apicoplast differentiation and division in Eimeria tenella.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets