Lysosomal protein trafficking in Giardia lamblia: common and distinct features

TOUZ MC; RIVERO MR; MIRAS SL; BONIFACINO JS

FRONTIERS IN BIOSCIENCE-LANDMARK

FRONTIERS IN BIOSCIENCE INC

Lugar: Irvine; Año: 2012 vol. 1 p. 1898 - 1909

1093-9946

Giardia is a flagellated protozoan parasite thathas to face different microenvironments during its life cyclein order to survive. All cells exchange materials with theextracellular medium through the reciprocal processes ofendocytosis and secretion. Unlike more evolvedcells, Giardia lacks a defined endosomal/lysosomal system,but instead possesses peripheral vacuoles that play roles inendocytosis, degradation, recycling, and secretion ofproteins during growth and differentiation of theparasite. This review focuses on recent reports defining therole of different molecules involved in protein trafficking tothe peripheral vacuoles, and discusses possible mechanismsof receptor recycling. Since Giardia is an early-branchingprotist, the study of this parasite may lead to a clearerunderstanding of the minimal machinery required forprotein transport in eukaryotic cells.