Comparison of Isoenzyme Pattern of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1-G3) and E. canadensis (G6/G7) Protoscoleces

Background

Different genotypes of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) infect humans and ungulate animals, causing cystic echinococcosis. Simultaneous isoenzyme, as well as molecular characterizations of this parasite, has not yet been investigated in Iran. The present study aimed to evaluate the isoenzyme pattern of the E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) and E. canadensis genotypes in Iran.

Methods

A total of 32 (8 humans and 24 animals) cystic echinococcosis cysts were isolated from Shiraz, Tehran, Ilam, and Birjand from May 2018 to December 2020. The DNAs were extracted and their genotypes were determined by molecular methods. Enzymes were extracted from the cysts and subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate sehydrogenase (G6PD), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malic enzyme (ME), nucleoside hydrolyse 1 (NH1), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD) were examined in the cyst samples using isoenzyme method and compared it with the genotyping findings.

Results

DNA sequence analysis of the samples showed that the specimens contained 75% E. granulosus s.s. (G1) and 25% E. canadensis (G6) genotypes. The isoenzyme pattern of ICD in both genotypes produced a six-band pattern with different relative factors. The G6PD also produced two bands with different relative migrations in both genotypes. The MDH and NH1 systems revealed a two-band pattern, while only one band was generated in the ME enzyme in the E. granulosus s.s. genotype. In the E. canadensis, the MDH and NH1 enzymes showed one band, and the ME enzyme represented a two-band pattern.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that E. granulosus s.s. and E. canadensis genotypes have entirely different isoenzyme patterns for NH1, G6PD, MDH, and ME.

Comparison of Isoenzyme Pattern of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1-G3) and E. canadensis (G6/G7) Protoscoleces

Background

Different genotypes of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) infect humans and ungulate animals, causing cystic echinococcosis. Simultaneous isoenzyme, as well as molecular characterizations of this parasite, has not yet been investigated in Iran. The present study aimed to evaluate the isoenzyme pattern of the E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) and E. canadensis genotypes in Iran.

Methods

A total of 32 (8 humans and 24 animals) cystic echinococcosis cysts were isolated from Shiraz, Tehran, Ilam, and Birjand from May 2018 to December 2020. The DNAs were extracted and their genotypes were determined by molecular methods. Enzymes were extracted from the cysts and subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The activities of glucose-6-phosphate sehydrogenase (G6PD), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malic enzyme (ME), nucleoside hydrolyse 1 (NH1), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD) were examined in the cyst samples using isoenzyme method and compared it with the genotyping findings.

Results

DNA sequence analysis of the samples showed that the specimens contained 75% E. granulosus s.s. (G1) and 25% E. canadensis (G6) genotypes. The isoenzyme pattern of ICD in both genotypes produced a six-band pattern with different relative factors. The G6PD also produced two bands with different relative migrations in both genotypes. The MDH and NH1 systems revealed a two-band pattern, while only one band was generated in the ME enzyme in the E. granulosus s.s. genotype. In the E. canadensis, the MDH and NH1 enzymes showed one band, and the ME enzyme represented a two-band pattern.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that E. granulosus s.s. and E. canadensis genotypes have entirely different isoenzyme patterns for NH1, G6PD, MDH, and ME.

Isoenzyme profiles and phylogenetic analysis of Giardia duodenalis isolates from Iranian patients

The main objective of this study was to characterize the Giardia duodenalis isolates from Iranian patients in Fars Province, south of Iran by biochemical and molecular methods. Fifteen mass cultivated of G. duodenalis isolates in modified TYI-S-33 medium were analyzed using isoenzyme electrophoresis and PCR genotyping. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of five different enzyme systems was used to characterize isolates: (i) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, (ii) glucose phosphate isomerase, (iii) malate dehydrogenase, (iv) malic enzyme, and (v) phosphoglucomutase. As well, a fragment of the SSU-rDNA (292 bp) gene was amplified by PCR using the primers RH11 and RH4. The sequencing of the PCR products and phylogenetic tree were performed. The isoenzyme electrophoretic profiles divided fifteen G. duodenalis isolates into four zymodemes. G6PD, GPI, MDH, ME, and PGM enzyme systems showed 1, 2, 2, 3, and 3 enzyme pattern, respectively. G6PD isoenzyme pattern had the most homogeneity, while isoenzyme patterns of ME and PGM had the most heterogeneity in our study. Genotyping results indicated that the zymodemes 1-4 were categorized in assemblage A based on the SSU-rDNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all four zymodemes were distributed within the cluster of assemblage A. Our results indicated that both isoenzyme and DNA analyses were useful to characterize the isolates of Giardia and distinguishing various zymodemes and assemblages. It could be suggested that the genetic diversity among isoenzymes profiles of G. duodenalis may explain the variable clinical manifestations, pathogenicity, host response, drug susceptibility, and treatment efficacy of human giardiasis.

Synthetic siRNAs effectively target cystein protease 12 and α-actinin transcripts in Trichomonas vaginalis

The flagellated protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) causes trichomoniasis, a reproductive tract infection, in humans. Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. In addition to direct consequences such as infertility and abortion, there are indications that trichomoniasis favours development of prostate cancer and it has also been associated with increased risk of spreading human immunodeficiency virus and papillomavirus infections. Reports from around the world show that the rate of drug resistance in T. vaginalis is increasing, and therefore new therapeutic approaches have to be developed. Studying molecular biology of T. vaginalis will be quite helpful in identifying new drugable targets. RNAi is a powerful technique which allows biologist to specifically target gene products (i.e. mRNA) helping them in unravelling gene functions and biology of systems. However, due to lack of some parts of the required intrinsic RNAi machinery, the RNAi system is not functional in all orders of life. Here, by using synthetic siRNAs targeting two genes, i.e. α-actinin and cystein protease 12 (cp12), we demonstrate T. vaginalis cells are amenable to RNAi experiments conducted by extrinsic siRNAs. Electroporation of siRNAs targeting α-actinin or cp12 into T. vaginalis cells resulted in, respectively, 48-67% and 33-72% downregulation of the cognate transcripts compared to the T. vaginalis cells received siRNAs targeting GL2 luciferase as a control. This finding is helpful in that it demonstrates the potential of using extrinsically induced RNAi in studies on molecular biology of T. vaginalis such as those aiming at identifying new drug targets.