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Live cycle of the free-living amoeba. Differentiation of amoebae of the genera Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia
Klieščiková, Jarmila ; Nohýnková, Eva (advisor) ; Ondriska, František (referee) ; Walochnik, Julia (referee)
Free-living pathogenic amoebae Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris are causative agents of important diseases of human: rarely occurring but highly fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (both) and keratitis (Acanthamoeba). One of the reasons for the problematic therapy is differentiation into highly resistant cysts often found in affected tissues. In our study we have found that correct encystation in Acanthamoeba requires apart from others, the presence of functioning Golgi apparatus transporting the cyst wall material to the cell surface; glycogen phosphorylase degrading glycogen into glucose which seems to be further used for cellulose synthesis and two non-constitutive cellulose synthases. Acanthamoeba cellulose synthases seem not to be inhibited by known herbicides. In the cyst wall of acanthamoebae we detected cellulose, -mannan, and -1, 3-1, 4-linked glucan [lichenin or mixed-linkage glucan (MLG)]. Cellulose is present in the inner (endocyst) and the outer (exocyst) layers of the cyst wall, whereas-mannan and MLG are found in the endocyst. In a protozoan organism, MLG was detected for the first time. The MLG of Acanthamoeba has a similar composition to that found in barley with high amount of cellobiosyl and cellotriosyl followed by cellotetraosyl units. In contrast, with...
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