Abstract
Cryptosporidium species cause acute gastroenteritis and diarrhoea worldwide. They are members of the Apicomplexa-protozoan pathogens that invade host cells by using a specialized apical complex and are usually transmitted by an invertebrate vector or intermediate host. In contrast to other Apicomplexans, Cryptosporidium is transmitted by ingestion of oocysts and completes its life cycle in a single host. No therapy is available, and control focuses on eliminating oocysts in water supplies. Two species, C. hominis and C. parvum, which differ in host range, genotype and pathogenicity, are most relevant to humans. C. hominis is restricted to humans, whereas C. parvum also infects other mammals. Here we describe the eight-chromosome ∼9.2-million-base genome of C. hominis. The complement of C. hominis protein-coding genes shows a striking concordance with the requirements imposed by the environmental niches the parasite inhabits. Energy metabolism is largely from glycolysis. Both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms are available, the former requiring an alternative electron transport system in a simplified mitochondrion. Biosynthesis capabilities are limited, explaining an extensive array of transporters. Evidence of an apicoplast is absent, but genes associated with apical complex organelles are present. C. hominis and C. parvum exhibit very similar gene complements, and phenotypic differences between these parasites must be due to subtle sequence divergence.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1107-1112 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nature |
| Volume | 431 |
| Issue number | 7012 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 28 2004 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
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The genome of Cryptosporidium hominis. / Xu, Ping; Widmer, Giovanni; Wang, Yingping; Ozaki, Lulz S.; Alves, Joao M.; Serrano, Myrna G.; Pulu, Daniela; Manque, Patriclo; Akiyoshi, Donna; Mackey, Aaron J.; Pearson, William R.; Dear, Paul H.; Bankler, Alan T.; Peterson, Darrell L.; Abrahamsen, Mltchell S.; Kapur, Vivek; Tzipori, Saul; Buck, Gregory A.
In: Nature, Vol. 431, No. 7012, 28.10.2004, p. 1107-1112.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The genome of Cryptosporidium hominis
AU - Xu, Ping
AU - Widmer, Giovanni
AU - Wang, Yingping
AU - Ozaki, Lulz S.
AU - Alves, Joao M.
AU - Serrano, Myrna G.
AU - Pulu, Daniela
AU - Manque, Patriclo
AU - Akiyoshi, Donna
AU - Mackey, Aaron J.
AU - Pearson, William R.
AU - Dear, Paul H.
AU - Bankler, Alan T.
AU - Peterson, Darrell L.
AU - Abrahamsen, Mltchell S.
AU - Kapur, Vivek
AU - Tzipori, Saul
AU - Buck, Gregory A.
PY - 2004/10/28
Y1 - 2004/10/28
N2 - Cryptosporidium species cause acute gastroenteritis and diarrhoea worldwide. They are members of the Apicomplexa-protozoan pathogens that invade host cells by using a specialized apical complex and are usually transmitted by an invertebrate vector or intermediate host. In contrast to other Apicomplexans, Cryptosporidium is transmitted by ingestion of oocysts and completes its life cycle in a single host. No therapy is available, and control focuses on eliminating oocysts in water supplies. Two species, C. hominis and C. parvum, which differ in host range, genotype and pathogenicity, are most relevant to humans. C. hominis is restricted to humans, whereas C. parvum also infects other mammals. Here we describe the eight-chromosome ∼9.2-million-base genome of C. hominis. The complement of C. hominis protein-coding genes shows a striking concordance with the requirements imposed by the environmental niches the parasite inhabits. Energy metabolism is largely from glycolysis. Both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms are available, the former requiring an alternative electron transport system in a simplified mitochondrion. Biosynthesis capabilities are limited, explaining an extensive array of transporters. Evidence of an apicoplast is absent, but genes associated with apical complex organelles are present. C. hominis and C. parvum exhibit very similar gene complements, and phenotypic differences between these parasites must be due to subtle sequence divergence.
AB - Cryptosporidium species cause acute gastroenteritis and diarrhoea worldwide. They are members of the Apicomplexa-protozoan pathogens that invade host cells by using a specialized apical complex and are usually transmitted by an invertebrate vector or intermediate host. In contrast to other Apicomplexans, Cryptosporidium is transmitted by ingestion of oocysts and completes its life cycle in a single host. No therapy is available, and control focuses on eliminating oocysts in water supplies. Two species, C. hominis and C. parvum, which differ in host range, genotype and pathogenicity, are most relevant to humans. C. hominis is restricted to humans, whereas C. parvum also infects other mammals. Here we describe the eight-chromosome ∼9.2-million-base genome of C. hominis. The complement of C. hominis protein-coding genes shows a striking concordance with the requirements imposed by the environmental niches the parasite inhabits. Energy metabolism is largely from glycolysis. Both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms are available, the former requiring an alternative electron transport system in a simplified mitochondrion. Biosynthesis capabilities are limited, explaining an extensive array of transporters. Evidence of an apicoplast is absent, but genes associated with apical complex organelles are present. C. hominis and C. parvum exhibit very similar gene complements, and phenotypic differences between these parasites must be due to subtle sequence divergence.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=7744238311&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=7744238311&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/nature02977
DO - 10.1038/nature02977
M3 - Article
C2 - 15510150
AN - SCOPUS:7744238311
VL - 431
SP - 1107
EP - 1112
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 7012
ER -