Characterization of an nf-actin gene in the pathogenic Naegleria fowleri

Naegleria fowleri, a pathogenic free-living amoeba has been isolated from samples obtatined from soil,polluted water and chlorinated swimming pool waster and existed as a virulent pathogen which causes fatal primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in experimental animal or humans. The cytotoxicity of N. fowleri on target cells requires the contact-dependent mechanism such as a phagocytosis and the contact-independent mechanism such as a secretion of proteases. The phagocytosis mechanisms involve a process of piecemeal ingestion of target cells by food-cups (amoebastomes). Phagocytosis is an actin-dependent process that includes polymerization of monomeric G-actin into filamentous F-actin. Despite the numerous studies concerning with phagocytosis, the detailed role of actin in the N. fowleri food-cup formation has been poorly reported. In this study, we cloned and characterized an nf-actin gene for elucidation of the role of nf-actin in N. fowleri pathogenesis. The nf-actin gene is composed of 1,124 bp and the sequence identity was 82% with nonpathogenic N. gruberi. No sequence identity with other mammals or human actin gene. Immunofluorescence assay using anti-Nf-actin polyclonal antibody developed in BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant protein (rNf-actin fused with His-tag) revealed that the Nf-actin was localized in the cytoplasm and pseudopodia, especially, food-cup structure (amoebastome), of N. fowleri trophozoites. When N. fowleri were co-cultured with CHO cells, the Nf-actin was observed to localize around on phagocytic food-cups. When the Nf-actin protein was inhibited with cytochalasin D, the actin polymerization inhibitor, or nfactin gene knock-downed by transfection with antisense oligomers, N. fowleri trophozoites showed reduced food-cup structures and in vitro cytotoxicity. It suggests that Nf-actin plays an important role in phagocytic activity of pathogenic N. fowleri. In addition, the nf-actin gene was inserted into Ubi-pEGFP-C2 vector for overexpression, and then Ubi-pEGFPC2/ nf-actin was transfected to N. fowleri trophozoites. The strong GFP fluorescence was observed in N. fowleri trophozoites transfected with Ubi-pEGFP-C2/nf-actin, and the expression of EGFP-Nf-actin protein was detected by western blot. The nf-actin overexpressed transgenic N. fowleri showed significantly increasing adherence ability against extracellular matrix components such as fibronectin, collagen I and fibrinogen in comparison to wild type N. fowleri. Moreover, the nf-actin overexpressed transgenic N. fowleri showed increasing phagocytotic ability and cytotoxicity in comparison with the wild type N. fowleri. Finally, these results suggest that the nf-actin gene plays an important role in cell adhesion, phagocytosis and cytotoxicity of N. fowleri.

Author dc:creator

• 손, 혜진

Contributors dc:contributor

• 신, 호준
• 대학원 의생명과학과
• 106684

• Naegleria fowleri
• actin gene
• adhesion
• contact-dependent mechanism
• cytotoxicity
• food-cups
• pathogenicity
• phagocytosis
• 파울러자유아메바

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

http://dcoll.ajou.ac.kr:9080/dcollection/jsp/common/DcLoOrgPer.jsp?sItemId=000000015894
000000015894

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.ajou.ac.kr:201003/10860