Chitinase secretion by encysting Entamoeba invadens and transfected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites: Localization of secretory vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus
Sk. Ghosh et al., Chitinase secretion by encysting Entamoeba invadens and transfected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites: Localization of secretory vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus, INFEC IMMUN, 67(6), 1999, pp. 3073-3081
Entamoeba histolytica, the protozoan parasite that phagocytoses bacteria an
d host cells, has a vesicle/vacuole-filled cytosol like that of macrophages
. In contrast, the infectious cyst form has four nuclei and a chitin wall.
Here, anti-chitinase antibodies identified hundreds of small secretory vesi
cles in encysting E. invadens parasites and in E. histolytica trophozoites
overexpressing chitinase under an actin gene promoter. Abundant small secre
tory vesicles were also identified with antibodies to the surface antigen A
riel and with a fluorescent substrate of cysteine proteinases. Removal of a
n N-terminal signal sequence directed chitinase to the cytosol. Addition of
a C-terminal KDEL peptide, identified on amebic BiP, retained chitinase in
a putative endoplasmic reticulum, which was composed of a few vesicles of
mixed sizes. A putative Golgi apparatus, which was Brefeldin A sensitive an
d composed of a few large, perinuclear vesicles, was identified with antibo
dies to ADP-ribosylating factor and to E-COP. We conclude that the amebic s
ecretory pathway is similar to those of other eukaryotic cells, even if its
appearance is somewhat different.