Members of the Entamoeba histolytica transmembrane kinase family play non-redundant roles in growth and phagocytosis.

ABSTRACT: Entamoeba histolytica contains a large and novel family of transmembrane kinases (TMKs). The expression patterns of the E. histolytica TMKs in individual trophozoites and the roles of the TMKs for sensing and responding to extracellular cues were incompletely characterised. Here we provide evidence that single cells express multiple TMKs and that TMK39 and TMK54 likely serve non-redundant cellular functions. Laser-capture microdissection was used in conjunction with microarray analysis to demonstrate that single trophozoites express more than one TMK gene. Anti-peptide antibodies were raised against unique regions in the extracellular domains of TMK39, TMK54 and PaTMK, and TMK expression was analysed at the protein level. Flow cytometric assays revealed that populations of trophozoites hom

SUBMITTER: Buss SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2866777 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature