TY - JOUR
T1 - Nuclear transport in Entamoeba histolytica: knowledge gap and therapeutic potential
AU - Gwairgi, Marina A
AU - Ghildyal, Reena
PY - 2018/9
Y1 - 2018/9
N2 - Entamoeba histolytica is the protozoan parasite that causes human amoebiasis. It is one of the leading parasitic disease burdens in tropical regions and developing countries, with spread to developed countries through migrants from and travellers to endemic regions. Understanding E. histolytica's invasion mechanisms requires an understanding of how it interacts with external cell components and how it engulfs and kills cells (phagocytosis). Recent research suggests that optimal phagocytosis requires signalling events from the cell surface to the nucleus via the cytoplasm, and the induction of several factors that are transported to the plasma membrane. Current research in other protozoans suggests the presence of proteins with nuclear localization signals, nuclear export signals and Ran proteins; however, there is limited literature on their functionality and their functional similarity to higher eukaryotes. Based on learnings from the development of antivirals, nuclear transport elements in E. histolytica may present viable, specific, therapeutic targets. In this review, we aim to summarize our limited knowledge of the eukaryotic nuclear transport mechanisms that are conserved and may function in E. histolytica.
AB - Entamoeba histolytica is the protozoan parasite that causes human amoebiasis. It is one of the leading parasitic disease burdens in tropical regions and developing countries, with spread to developed countries through migrants from and travellers to endemic regions. Understanding E. histolytica's invasion mechanisms requires an understanding of how it interacts with external cell components and how it engulfs and kills cells (phagocytosis). Recent research suggests that optimal phagocytosis requires signalling events from the cell surface to the nucleus via the cytoplasm, and the induction of several factors that are transported to the plasma membrane. Current research in other protozoans suggests the presence of proteins with nuclear localization signals, nuclear export signals and Ran proteins; however, there is limited literature on their functionality and their functional similarity to higher eukaryotes. Based on learnings from the development of antivirals, nuclear transport elements in E. histolytica may present viable, specific, therapeutic targets. In this review, we aim to summarize our limited knowledge of the eukaryotic nuclear transport mechanisms that are conserved and may function in E. histolytica.
KW - Actin-binding proteins
KW - Calcium-Binding Proteins
KW - Entamoeba histolytica
KW - Nuclear Transport
KW - nuclear transport
KW - calcium-binding proteins
KW - Cell Nucleus/metabolism
KW - Entamoeba histolytica/metabolism
KW - Humans
KW - Cytoplasm/metabolism
KW - Calcium-Binding Proteins/metabolism
KW - ran GTP-Binding Protein/metabolism
KW - Protozoan Proteins/metabolism
KW - Active Transport, Cell Nucleus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044286441&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/nuclear-transport-entamoeba-histolytica-knowledge-gap-therapeutic-potential
U2 - 10.1017/S0031182018000252
DO - 10.1017/S0031182018000252
M3 - Article
C2 - 29565001
SN - 0031-1820
VL - 145
SP - 1378
EP - 1387
JO - Parasitology
JF - Parasitology
IS - 11
ER -