Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal parasite that causes amoebic dysentery in ~100 million people each year. Infection by E. histolytica occurs by consuming food or water contaminated with the cyst form. As the cysts reach the small intestine, they convert to the growing amoeba form, which then colonizes the colon to cause disease. The amoebas then convert back to the cyst form, a process called encystation, and are released back into the environment to infect others. Encystation can be replicated in the laboratory by growing cells in glucose medium (Glu) and transferring them to encystation medium lacking glucose (No Glu). The addition of acetate (Ac) speeds initiation of encystation. In this project, RNAseq transcriptome analysis was used to identify genes that are upregulated early in encystation. Four genes with predicted function and two genes of unknown function were chosen for further study. These six genes had increased expression in No Glu or Ac conditions as compared to Glu. The presence of these genes in other Entamoeba species and outside of Entamoeba was determined. By searching the literature, potential roles in encystation for the genes with predicted function were proposed. Upregulated Genes in Entamoeba histolytica Encystation
WITH DR. CHERYL INGRAM-SMITH, DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS AND BIOCHEMISTRY
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