ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA - ELECTRON-DENSE GRANULE SECRETION, COLLAGENASEACTIVITY AND VIRULENCE ARE ALTERED IN THE CYTOSKELETON MUTANT BG-3

HM-1:IMSS, a pathogenic strain- of Entamoeba histolytica, and its muta nt BG-3, identified by resistance to cytochalasin D, were tested for t heir capacity to: (i) secrete electron-dense granules; (ii) adhere and digest native type I collagen gels; and (iii) produce liver abscesses in new-born hamsters. The results demonstrate that the mutant has low adherence to collagen, low electron-dense granule secretion and colla genolytic activity, and low capacity to produce liver lesions in vivo, compared with the parental strain HM1:IMSS.