Responses of Entamoeba invadens to heat shock and encystation are related

An Entamoeba invadens gene encoding a homologue of BiP/GRP78, a 70-kDa heat shuck protein or chaperonin was cloned. The predicted E. invadens BiP cont ained an ATP-binding site, a substrate-recognition domain, and a carboxy-te rminal KDEL-peptide. Messenger RNAs of E. invadens for BiP, for a 70-kDa he at shock cognate, for a cyst wall glycoprotein (Jacob), and for chitinase w ere all induced by heat shock and by encystation medium. The presence of Ja cob in heat-shocked amebae was confirmed by confocal microscopy and suggest s that heat shuck and encystation responses in E. invadens are related.