Cytoskeletal elements and motility in the archigregarine Selenidium sp.: observations on native and drug-treated parasites
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Ancestral apicomplexan lineages, including gregarines, represent organisms suitable for research on motility evolution and diversification. Archigregarines are restricted to a marine environment and, based on their plesiomorfic characters, represent basal group of gregarines and perhaps apicomplexans as whole. The vermiform trophozoites of Selenidium archigregarines possess apical complex and exhibit pendular, rolling or coiling movement. The presented study revealed the fundamental role of cytoskeletal proteins, such as actin and alpha-tubulin, in archigregarines motility, and allowed us to compare the mechanism of their movement to the gliding machinery (= the so called glideosome concept) described in apicomplexan zoites. Motility of Selenidium sp. parasitising the intestine of polychaete Pygospio elegans (Spionidae) was investigated using probes influencing polymerisation of cytoskeletal proteins. To verify the role of actin filaments, jasplakinolide (induces actin polymerisation) and cytochalasin D (blocks polymerisation of actin microfilaments) were applied. The effect of disruption of subpellicular microtubules on motility was monitored after treatment with oryzalin and colchicine (both probes destroy existing microtubules and inhibit tubulin polymerization). Despite we succeed to completely block the motility of archigregarines, our experiments revealed the tolerance of organisms to cytoskeletal drugs’ concentrations routinely used in other apicomplexans and their prolonged survival in extreme conditions. Evaluation of Selenidium sp. surface observation did not showed any damages or abnormalities of pellicle after drugs’ applications. Though, evident changes in distribution of cytoskeletal proteins after confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis were revealed. Oryzalin and colchicine showed the highest impact on archigregarine movement. |
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