The most abundant cyst wall proteins of Acanthamoeba castellanii are lectins that bind cellulose and localize to distinct structures in developing and mature cyst walls.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acanthamoeba castellanii, which causes keratitis and blindness in under-resourced countries, is an emerging pathogen worldwide, because of its association with contact lens use. The wall makes cysts resistant to sterilizing reagents in lens solutions and to antibiotics applied to the eye.

Methodology/principal findings

Transmission electron microscopy and structured illumination microscopy (SIM) showed purified cyst walls of A. castellanii retained an outer ectocyst layer, an inner endocyst layer, and conical ostioles that connect them. Mass spectrometry showed candidate cyst wall proteins were dominated by three families of lectins (named here Jonah, Luke, and Leo), which bound well to cellulose and less well to chitin. An abundant Jonah lectin, which has one cho

SUBMITTER: Magistrado-Coxen P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6541295 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature