Participation of actin on Giardia lamblia growth and encystation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Microfilaments play a determinant role in different cell processes such as: motility, cell division, phagocytosis and intracellular transport; however, these structures are poorly understood in the parasite Giardia lamblia.

Methodology and principal findings

By confocal microscopy using TRITC-phalloidin, we found structured actin distributed in the entire trophozoite, the label stand out at the ventral disc, median body, flagella and around the nuclei. During Giardia encystation, a sequence of morphological changes concurrent to modifications on the distribution of structured actin and in the expression of actin mRNA were observed. To elucidate whether actin participates actively on growth and encystation, cells were treated with Cytochalasin D, Latrunculin A and

SUBMITTER: Castillo-Romero A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2743995 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature