EF-1α silencing by feeding RNAi suppresses resting cyst formation in Colpoda cucullus Nag-1 strain

Abstract

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.