Microsporidia are amitochondriate eukaryotic microbes with fungal affinities and a common status of obligate intracellular parasites. A set of 13 potential genes encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) systems was identified in the fully sequenced genome of Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Our analyses of multiple alignments, phylogenetic trees and conserved motifs support a distribution of E. cuniculi ABC systems within only four subfamilies. Six half transporters are homologous to the yeast ATM1 mitochondrial protein, a finding which is in agreement with the hypothesis of a cryptic mitochondrion-derived compartment playing a role in the synthesis and transport of Fe^S clusters. Five half transporters are similar to the human ABCG1 and ABCG2 proteins, involved in regulation of lipid trafficking and anthracyclin resistance respectively. Two proteins with duplicated ABC domains are clearly candidate to non-transport ABC systems: the first is homologous to mammalian RNase L inhibitor and the second to the yeast translation initiation regulator GCN20. An unusual feature of ABC systems in E. cuniculi is the lack of homologs of P-glycoprotein and other ABC transporters which are involved in multiple drug resistance in a large number of eukaryotic microorganisms. ß
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.