MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY OF ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA - A REVIEW

Amebiasis is one of the main causes worldwide of morbidity and mortali ty by parasites. Application of recombinant DNA technology to the stud y of Entamoeba histolytica is bringing new light into our understandin g of this remarkable protozoan parasite and of the disease it causes. New achievements affect the way we approach many essential questions a bout E. histolytica,from the mechanism of its pathogenicity to the def inition off. histolytica as a separate species from the nonpathogenic E. dispar. To give a single example, transfection of trophozoites is n ow possible and a new generation of studies taking advantage of this c apability of manipulation is expected in the short term. Our goal with this review is to provide an updated and simple guide to the growing information on the molecular biology off. histolytica.