Ref ID : 4320
Mireya De La Garza, Brigido Gallegos, and Isaura Meza; Characterization of a Cytochalasin D-Resistant Mutant of Entamoeba histolytica. J.Protozool. 36(6):556-560, 1989
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Characterization of a cytochalasin D-resistant mutant of the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica capable of growing at 10 µM cytochalasin is described. The mutant cells also show resistance to 5 mM colchicine and 100 µM cytochalasin B, drugs proved deleterious for wild type trophozoites. The mutants show increased osmotic fragility and electric mobility but reduced phagocytic activity, and agglutination by Concanavalin A. On the other hand pinocytic activity remains unaltered when compared with the wild type cells. Polymerized actin, seen by staining with phalloidin, often appears polarized to one end of the trophozoites and forms few of the endocytic invaginations found in wild type amebas. An altered distribution of part of the actin could explain the differences in surface properties and motility observed in the mutant amebas.