Characterization of a novel Entamoeba histolytica strain from Burkina Faso, Africa, possessing a unique hexokinase-2 gene.

J Suzuki, S Kobayashi, M Imada, M E Tolba, T Takeuchi

Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan.

Parasite (Paris, France) 2011 Nov

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An Entamoeba histolytica strain (BF-841 cl1) that originated from Burkina Faso, Africa presented with novel, polymorphic genotypes of the serine-rich E. histolytica protein and the anodic hexokinase‑2 (HXK-2) isoenzyme band, which showed less electrophoretic mobility than that of an E. histolytica reference strain [HM-1:IMSS cl6 (zymodeme (Z)-II)] by starch gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (IEF). The HXK-2 gene of BF-841 cl1 had amino acid variations at four positions compared to the sequence of HM-1:IMSS cl6. These variations were absent from the sequences of four other E. histolytica strains with different zymodemes [KU27 (Z-II), SAW1627 (Z-IIa-), SAW755CR clB (Z-XIV), and KU2 (Z-XIX)]. The results of IEF showed no difference in the substrate specificity of HXK (HXK-1 and HXK-2) between BF-841 cl1 and the three reference E. histolytica strains (HM-1:IMSS cl6, SAW755 clB, and KU27). It was also confirmed that BF-841 cl1 was able to form liver abscesses in Syrian hamsters.

Citation

J Suzuki, S Kobayashi, M Imada, M E Tolba, T Takeuchi. Characterization of a novel Entamoeba histolytica strain from Burkina Faso, Africa, possessing a unique hexokinase-2 gene. Parasite (Paris, France). 2011 Nov;18(4):287-94