Scientists at Rutgers
University and the National Institutes of Health have recently developed novel
fluorescence-based methods for the tracking of the microsporidial pathogenic
parasite Anncaliia algerae; its development in the human host cellular niche
A. algerae is an opportunistic parasitic pathogen that is a
risk to immune-compromised individuals and was first identified in mosquitoes,
that is however poorly understood due to limited methodologies.
The far-red cell permeant DNA probe DRAQ5 was
used as the key fluorescent reagent to label live parasites prior to infection
of, and time-lapse imaging inside, GFP-transformed HeLa cells observed for 8
days. The DRAQ5 stained A. algerae
inoculum successfully infected the host cells and produced numerous progeny via
unaffected mitosis.
DRAQ5 was also applied for conventional fixed cell end-point
imaging of infected host cells.
These studies should hopefully increase understanding of the
biology and life-cycle of pathogenic microsporidia sp.
Read the J. Euk. Microbiol. paper here:
http://tinyurl.com/zw4xvd9
