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Giardia lamblia: behavior of the nuclear envelope

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Abstract

Giardia lamblia is a flagellar parasite possessing the unusual morphology of bearing two nuclei. New morphological observations on trophozoites and encysting Giardia nuclei using routine transmission electron microscopy, freeze fracture and cytochemistry are presented. Nuclear pores of both nuclei in the same cells were assessed on freeze-fracture replicas from different cell cycle phases, and compared. These techniques showed that (1) both nuclei in the same cell are distinct in nuclear pore number and distribution; (2) nuclear pore complexes are frequently clustered in nuclear envelope domains; (3) dividing nuclei display very few nuclear pores; (4) few ribosomes are found on the outer nuclear envelope of the trophozoite form; (5) nuclear membranes present spots of closely apposed membranes, which are different from the typical diaphragm nuclear pore complexes; (6) in addition to the nuclear pores, membrane blebs are also present in the nuclear envelope; (7) encysting cells show intranuclear inclusions, morphologically similar to the ESV (encystation-specific vesicles) and to the ER membranes, which may be the result of nuclear envelope folding. It is proposed that the two nuclei in Giardia are dissimilar in morphology and activity.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Programa de Núcleos de Excelência (PRONEX), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), and Associação Universitária Santa Úrsula (AUSU). All experiments were performed according current Brazilian laws.

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  1. Universidade Santa Úrsula, Rua Jornalista Orlando Dantas 59, CEP 222-31-010, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marlene Benchimol

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  1. Marlene Benchimol
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Correspondence to Marlene Benchimol.

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Benchimol, M. Giardia lamblia: behavior of the nuclear envelope. Parasitol Res 94, 254–264 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1211-8

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