Glycosylation of Acanthamoeba castellanii
- Lebensmittel, Ernährung, Gesundheit
- Forschungscluster "Bioindustrielle Technologien"
Abstract
Cell surface glycoconjugates and their ligands play important roles in the interaction between the different cells of an organism as well as between symbionts/pathogens/parasites and their hosts. The protozoans, single-cellular eukaryotes, including amoebae and trypanosomatids express a range of novel glycosylated macromolecules such as lipophosphoglycans (LPG) and glycosylinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) as well as unique O-glycans. Acanthamoeba species are common free-living amoeba found in soil and water; however, they can also prove to be serious pathogens causing amoebic keratitis, particularly in contact lens wearers, and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in immunocomprised patients. In the former case, a mannose-binding protein is involved in binding to the cornea; the end result of the infection can be the requirement for a corneal transplant. The encephalitis, though, in almost all cases proves lethal. The genome of an Acanthamoeba strain (Neff strain of A. castellanii, genotype T4) is in the process of being sequenced; however, little is known about its glycome. Over thirty years ago, a lipophosphonoglycan was described in terms of its fatty acid, inositol, phosphoethanolamine and monosaccharide content, although no full structure was determined; in retrospect, this glycoconjugate may well display similarities to lipophosphoglycans of trypanosomatids and of Entamoeba histolytica. Thus, a major goal of the proposed work is to characterise this lipophosphonoglycan using modern analytical techniques such as MALDI-TOF, ESI and GC mass spectrometry. Similar methods will be used to examine the N-glycans of this species to explore similarities and differences with other unicellular organisms such as trypanosomatids and the non-pathogenic amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. The outcome will be a fuller understanding of the glycome of Acanthamoeba species; if glycomic differences between strains are observed, a new method for distinguishing Acanthamoeba isolates may result. Furthermore, glycobiosynthetic studies will also be facilitated, which may culminate in the identification of novel chemotherapeutic targets.
- Acanthamoeba
- Glycans
Publications
"Same same but different": N-glycosylation in Acanthamoeba
Autoren: Schiller B, Kurz S, Nöbauer K, Razzazi-Fazeli E, Walochnik J, Wilson IBH Jahr: 2011
Journal articles
UDP-xylose and UDP-galactose synthesis in Trichomonas vaginalis
Autoren: Rosenberger, AFN; Hangelmann, L; Hofinger, A; Wilson, IBH Jahr: 2012
Journal articles
The N-glycans of Trichomonas vaginalis contain variable core and antennal modifications.
Autoren: Paschinger, K; Hykollari, A; Razzazi-Fazeli, E; Greenwell, P; Leitsch, D; Walochnik, J; Wilson, IB; Jahr: 2012
Journal articles
Complicated N-linked glycans in simple organisms.
Autoren: Schiller, B; Hykollari, A; Yan, S; Paschinger, K; Wilson, IB; Jahr: 2012
Journal articles
Exploring the unique N-glycome of the opportunistic human pathogen acanthamoeba.
Autoren: Schiller, B; Makrypidi, G; Razzazi-Fazeli, E; Paschinger, K; Walochnik, J; Wilson, IB Jahr: 2012
Journal articles
Project staff
Iain B.H. Wilson
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dr.phil. Iain B.H. Wilson
iain.wilson@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-77216, 77217
Project Leader
01.01.2008 - 31.12.2011
Katharina Paschinger
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Katharina Paschinger
katharina.paschinger@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-77216, 77217
Project Staff
01.01.2008 - 31.12.2011
BOKU partners
External partners
Medizinische Universität Wien, Klinisches Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie
Julia Walochnik
partner