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Signaling Pathways in Giardia lamblia

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Giardia

Abstract

Giardia trophozoites colonize the ever-changing small intestinal environment and must constantly react to external mucosal signals in order to “decide” whether to multiply and cause disease or to differentiate into cysts. Similarly, upon ingestion, cysts react to stimuli from the new host in order to excyst. Giardia is an excellent model to study signaling because its life cycle can be completed in vitro and genome analyses revealed a limited but broad selection of signaling proteins. Encystation is an entry into dormancy, while excystation is a rapid cellular awakening. Although the stimuli for encystation and excystation are known, understanding of the transduction of these important signals is incomplete. The localization of the various signaling proteins to universal or Giardia-specifi c structures and their redistribution in response to environmental signals will provide insights into their functions in the Giardia cell cycle and differentiation. However, research on signaling proteins and pathways in Giardia is hampered by the lack of specifi c antibodies, substrates, and inhibitors. The most striking fi nding is the very large number of Nek kinases in the Giardia genome. The Neks are promising targets for further studies and their function and regulation will likely disclose more insights into the regulation of Giardia motility, cell, and life cycle. Here, we summarize current published information on Giardia signaling in growth, encystation, and excystation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of California at San Diego, 214 Dickinson Street, San Diego, CA, 92103-8416, USA

    Tineke Lauwaet

  2. Department of Pathology, University of California at San Diego, 214 Dickinson Street, San Diego, CA, 92103-8416, USA

    Frances D. Gillin

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  1. Tineke Lauwaet
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  2. Frances D. Gillin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina

    Hugo D. Luján PhD

  2. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Staffan Svärd PhD

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Lauwaet, T., Gillin, F.D. (2011). Signaling Pathways in Giardia lamblia . In: Luján, H.D., Svärd, S. (eds) Giardia. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0198-8_12

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