Summary: | It is reported that the expression level of EF-1α in Colpoda cucullus Nag-1 is markedly enhanced
within several hours after the onset of encystment induction. In this study, the Colpoda strain (stock
EQ-1) known to promptly encyst also showed early EF-1α expression while the strain (stock ES-1)
known to show prolonged encystment also showed delayed EF-1α expression. In cells in which EF-1α
is silenced by feeding RNAi, the cyst formation was prolonged, but normal cyst walls were formed.
These results suggest that Colpoda EF-1α is involved in the early morphogenetic events of the resting
cyst formation by accelerating protein translation or cytosleletal dynamics such as microtubule
disintegration.
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