Biology and Phylogeny
from: Acanthamoeba: Biology and Pathogenesis (Author: Naveed Khan). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2009)
Abstract
• Introduction
A eukaryotic organism
Protists and protozoa
Discovery of pathogenic free-living amoebae
• Discovery of Acanthamoeba spp.
• Ecology
Distribution in the environment
Distribution in the man-made environment
Distribution in clinical settings
• Ecosystem
• Cell biology
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Endoplasmic reticulum
Ribosomal RNA
Proteins
Lipids
Prostaglandins
Contractile vacuole and osmoregulation
Lysosome, peroxisome, and digestive vacuoles
Plasma membrane
Surface properties
Carbohydrates: glycogen storage and cell wall synthesis
Ionic distribution
Polyamine
Adenylate cyclase
Purine and pyrimidine
Mitochondria
• Nuclear genome
• Mitochondrial genome
• Motility
• Molecular basis of motility
Intermediate filaments
Microtubules
Microfilaments
Actin polymerization to form actin microfilaments
Regulators of actin polymerization
Actin-binding proteins
Inositol phospholipids-based regulation of actin microfilaments
GTP-binding proteins regulate actin microfilaments
Other key regulators
• Acanthamoeba actin
Characterization of Acanthamoeba actin and its filaments
• Acanthamoeba myosin
Structure of Acanthamoeba myosins
Myosin-I
Myosin-II
Activation of myosin-I and myosin-II
Localization of Acanthamoeba myosin
Myosin-I
Myosin-II
Myosins and motility
Polymerization of Acanthamoeba myosin
ATPase activity of myosin-I and myosin-II
Myosin-I
Myosin-II
