• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.133-138
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• 2016

Encystation is an essential process for Acanthamoeba survival under nutrient-limiting conditions and exposure to drugs. The expression of several genes has been observed to increase or decrease during encystation. Epigenetic processes involved in regulation of gene expression have been shown to play a role in several pathogenic parasites. In the present study, we identified the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), a known epigenetic regulator, in Acanthamoeba castellanii. PRMT5 of A. castellanii (AcPRMT5) contained domains found in S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases and in PRMT5 arginine-N-methyltransferase. Expression levels of AcPRMT5 were increased during encystation of A. castellanii. The EGFP-PRMT5 fusion protein was mainly localized in the nucleus of trophozoites. A. castellanii transfected with siRNA designed against AcPRMT5 failed to form mature cysts. The findings of this study lead to a better understanding of epigenetic mechanisms behind the regulation of encystation in cyst-forming pathogenic protozoa.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.131-135
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• 2014

Acanthamoeba cysts are resistant to unfavorable physiological conditions and various disinfectants. Acanthamoeba cysts have 2 walls containing various sugar moieties, and in particular, one third of the inner wall is composed of cellulose. In this study, it has been shown that down-regulation of cellulose synthase by small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly inhibits the formation of mature Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts. Calcofluor white staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed that siRNA transfected amoeba failed to form an inner wall during encystation and thus are likely to be more vulnerable. In addition, the expression of xylose isomerase, which is involved in cyst wall formation, was not altered in cellulose synthase down-regulated amoeba, indicating that cellulose synthase is a crucial factor for inner wall formation by Acanthamoeba during encystation.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

Vermamoeba vermiformis is a very important free-living amoeba for human health in association with Legionnaires' disease and keratitis. This interesting amoeba was firstly isolated from a freshwater of Dokdo (island), which was historically used for drinking water. Trophozoites and cyst forms of V. vermiformis strain MG1 are very similar to previous reported species. Trophozoites of V. vermiformis strain MG1 showed cylindrical shape with prominent anterior hyaline region. The average ratio of length and width was about 6.5. Typically, cysts of the strain MG1 showed a spherical or slightly ovoidal shape with smooth wall, and lacked cyst pores. Some cysts had crenulate-walled ectocyst, which was separated from endocyst wall. Further, 18S rRNA gene sequence of V. vermiformis strain MG1 showed very high similarity to other V. vermiformis species (99.4%-99.9% identity). Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA gene sequences clearly confirmed that the isolate was one strain of V. vermiformis with maximum bootstrap value (maximum likelihood: 100%) and Bayesian posterior probability of 1. Thus, the freshwater of Dokdo in Korea could harbor potentially pathogenic amoeba that may cause diseases in humans.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.21-31
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• 1996

양식산 무지개송어(Oncorhynchus mykiss) 및 한국산메기(Silurus asotus)를 시료로 하여 Ichthyophthirius multifiliis의 발달 단계를 형태학적으로 관찰하고 또한 수온별로 탈낭에 따른 소요시간을 조사하고자 하였다. 1. multifiliis의 발달단계를 형태학적으로 관찰한 결과 크게 기생기(parasitic phase)와 비기생기(non-parasitic phase)로 구분할 수 있었고 phoront, trophont, protomont, tomont, tomite 및 theront 의 6 단계의 발달 과정을 거치는 것을 알 수 있었다. 침입형인 phoront 는 $60{\times}40-100{\times}70{\mu}m$의 방추형 또는 구형으로 34-38열의 meridional kineties를 가졌고 구부 장치가 발달하기 시작하였다. 영양형인 trophont는 80-$800{\mu}m$의 구형 또는 아메바형이며, 말굽형의 대핵, 미미한 세포구 및 발달된 수축포를 가진 것으로 관찰되었다. 피낭 형성형인 protomont는 200-$800{\mu}m$의 구형으로 미미한 대핵과 현저히 발달된 수축포를 가지고 있었으며 구부 장치의 흡수 및 exocyst를 형성하기 시작하였다. 피낭체내 분열형인 tomont는 크기와 모양이 protomont와 같았으나 대핵은 보이지 않았고 endocyst를 형성하여 두꺼운 cyst wall 을 가졌으며 구부 장치가 완전히 흡수된 것으로 관찰되었다. 딸세포형인 tomite는 35-$50{\mu}m$의 구형으로 세포구가 보이며 구부장치가 나타나기 시작했다. 감염형인 theront는 크기, 모양 및 meridional kineties가 phoront와 같았으며 돌기 및 세포구가 앞끝과 중간 부위에 있는 것으로 나타났다. I. multifiliis 의 탈낭에 따른 소요 시간은 수온과 직접적으로 관련이 있는 것으로 조사되었으며 수온 $28^{\circ}C$에서 10-14 시간이 소요되었고 수온이 낮아질수록 탈낭에 따른 소요 시간이 길어져서 수온 $9^{\circ}C$에서는 약 129 시간이 소요되는 것으로 나타났다.