• Title/Summary/Keyword: protozoan

Search Result 254, Processing Time 0.021 seconds

CysQ of $Cryptosporidium$ $parvum$, a Protozoa, May Have Been Acquired from Bacteria by Horizontal Gene Transfer

  • Lee, Ji-Young;Kim, Sang-Soo
    • Genomics & Informatics
    • /
    • v.10 no.1
    • /
    • pp.9-15
    • /
    • 2012
  • Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the movement of genetic material between kingdoms and is considered to play a positive role in adaptation. $Cryptosporidium$ $parvum$ is a parasitic protozoan that causes an infectious disease. Its genome sequencing reported 14 bacteria-like proteins in the nuclear genome. Among them, cgd2_1810, which has been annotated as CysQ, a sulfite synthesis pathway protein, is listed as one of the candidates of genes horizontally transferred from bacterial origin. In this report, we examined this issue using phylogenetic analysis. Our BLAST search showed that $C.$ $parvum$ CysQ protein had the highest similarity with that of proteobacteria. Analysis with NCBI's Conserved Domain Tree showed phylogenetic incongruence, in that $C.$ $parvum$ CysQ protein was located within a branch of proteobacteria in the cd01638 domain, a bacterial member of the inositol monophosphatase family. According to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, the sulfate assimilation pathway, where CysQ plays an important role, is well conserved in most eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes. However, the Apicomplexa, including $C.$ $parvum$, largely lack orthologous genes of the pathway, suggesting its loss in those protozoan lineages. Therefore, we conclude that $C.$ $parvum$ regained cysQ from proteobacteria by HGT, although its functional role is elusive.

Prospects for Immunological Intervention for Coccidiosis (닭 콕시듐병의 면역학적 접근에 대한 전망)

  • Lillehoj, H.S.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
    • /
    • v.19 no.3
    • /
    • pp.161-176
    • /
    • 1992
  • Coccidiosis is caused by Eimeria infecting primarily the intestine of the susceptible host, thereby seriously impairing the growth and feed utilization of livestock and poultry. The genus Eimeria contains a number of obligate intracellular protozoan parasites with a complicated life-cycle involving both asexual and sexual stages of development. The desire to develop a vaccine against Eimeria has Promoted active research to elucidate the mechanisms of protective immunity and identification of candidate vaccine antigens. Protozoa are unique in their modes of transmission and nature of disease manifestations, the significance of which should be considered in the development of a control strategy. An intricate and complex interplay of different cell populations and cytokines is involved not only in the pathogenesis of coccidiosis but also in the development of protective immunity Thus, comprehensive understanding of the events leading to protection following Eimeria infection will be crucial for the development of an effective vaccine.

  • PDF

A simple and sensitive assay for chitinolytic activity of the recombinant CHT1 proteins from the hard tick H. longicornis using ethylene glycol chitin (Ethylene glycol chitin을 이용한 진드기 H. longicornis 재조합 CHT1 단백의 키틴분해능 검정 연구)

  • You, Myung-Jo;Fujisaki, Kozo
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
    • /
    • v.43 no.1
    • /
    • pp.145-150
    • /
    • 2003
  • To determine effectively the chitinolytic activity of rCHT1 from the hard tick H. longicornis expressed in baculovirus-mediated Spodoptera frugtperda (Sf) 9 cells, a simple and sensitive assay system was established in solid phase using agarose gel containing ethylene glycol chitin as substrate. The various factors affecting the efficacy of the assay were also investigated. The effects of various temperature, dosages of proteins, pH of media and time courses of reaction were examined to verify the sensitivity of assay for chitinolytic activity of rCHT1 protein. It was found that the optimal reactive conditions were $37^{\circ}C$ of temperature, 12 to 15 hours of reactive times, $0.1{\mu}g$ of protein concentration and pH 5 to 7 of media. Using the assay system designed, the functional activities of H. longicornis rCHT1l protein could be evaluated simply and sensitively.

An animal model using Eimeria live vaccine and to study coccidiosis protozoa pathogenesis

  • Lee, Hyun-A;Hong, Sunhwa;Choe, Ohmok;Kim, Okjin
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
    • /
    • v.51 no.3
    • /
    • pp.249-252
    • /
    • 2011
  • Cell culture systems for the protozoan Eimeria are not yet available. The present study was conducted to develop an animal model system by inoculating animals with a live Eimeria vaccine. This study was conducted on 3-day-old chickens (n = 20) pretreated with cyclophosphamide. The chickens were divided into 2 groups: the control group (n = 10) and the inoculated group that received the live Eimeria vaccine (n = 10). During the study period, we compared the clinical signs, changes in body weight, and number of oocysts shed in the feces of the control and inoculated group. This study showed that oocyst shedding was significantly higher in the chickens inoculated with live Eimeria oocysts than in the control chickens. Moreover, body weight gain was lesser in the animals in the inoculated group than in the control animals. Fecal oocyst shedding was observed in the inoculated animals. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that live Eimeria vaccination with cyclophosphamide pretreatment may be used to obtain an effective animal model for studying protozoan infections. This animal study model may eliminate the need for a tedious continuous animal inoculation process every 6 months because the live coccidiosis vaccine contains live oocysts.

Comparison of microscopic counting and alamar blue assay to evaluate anti-protozoal effects against Azumiobodo hoyamushi that causes soft tunic syndrome to Halocynthia roretzi (멍게, Halocynthia roretzi 물렁증의 원인충인 Azumiobodo hoyamushi의 살충효과 평가를 위한 현미경계수법과 alamar blue assay 비교)

  • Lee, Jae-Geun;Zeon, Seung-Ryul;Park, Kyung-Il;Choi, Sang-Hoon;Park, Kwan Ha
    • Journal of fish pathology
    • /
    • v.26 no.1
    • /
    • pp.31-38
    • /
    • 2013
  • The edible ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi is a commercially important fisheries resource in Korea. However, there have been outbreaks of mass mortality due to soft tunic syndrome. It was discovered recently that the cause of death is infection by a protozoan parasite Azumiobodo hoyamushi. Alamar blue assay and microscopic counting were used to estimate anti-protozoal effects of 20 drugs having different action mechanisms. Through comparison of alamar blue assay and microscopic counting, 6 drugs were found to be potential in protozoan-killing effects: amphotericin B, formalin, hydrogen peroxide, bithionol, benzalkonium chloride, bronopol (24hr-$EC_{50}{\leq}20{\mu}g/ml$). The preliminary data can be used as a basis to develop anti-protozoal agents against A. hoyamushi.

Intestinal parasite infections at an institution for the handicapped in Korea

  • Lee, Jong-Weon;Park, Gab-Man;Lee, Du-Ho;Park, Soon-Jung;Yong, Tai-Soon
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
    • /
    • v.38 no.3
    • /
    • pp.179-181
    • /
    • 2000
  • Stool and cellotape anal swab examinations were carried out in August 1997 on handicapped people at an institution located in Chorwon-gun, Kangwon-do, Korea. A total of 112 stool samples (78 males and 34 females) revealed three cases of Trichuris trichiura infection and one case of Enterobius vermicularis infection. Other helminth eggs were not detected. The overall prevalence rate was 35.7% (38.5% for males and 29.4% for females). More than two different kinds of parasites were found in 42.0% of the positive stool samples (17 cases). The infection rates for protozoan cysts are as follow : Entamoeba coli (25.0%), E. histoIUtica (1.8%), Endolinax nana (21.4%), Iodoamoeba butschlii (1.8%) and Giardia lamblia (0.9%). In cellotape anal swab examinations (165 samples), the prevalence rate of E. vemicularis was 20.6% (25.7% of males and 9.6% of females). In conclusion, the handicapped people in the institution showed higher infection rates of protozoan parasites and E. vemicularis, possibly due to more accessibility to the infection.

  • PDF