Chitin synthase in encysting Entamoeba invadens.

Although the cyst wall of Entamoeba invadens contains chitin, synthesis of this structural polymer during encystation has not been described before. Here we report that conditions which stimulate encystation of the parasite lead to increased chitin synthase (ChS) activity, measured by incorporation of [3H]GlcNAc ([3H]N-acetylglucosamine) from UDP-GlcNAc. The radiolabelled product was precipitable by trichloroacetic acid or ethanol and identified as chitin because it was digested by purified chitinase to radioactive chitobiose and GlcNAc. Cell fractionation indicated that approx. 60% of the enzyme is in the high-speed supernatant. pH-activity profiles showed that soluble ChS has an optimum at 6.0, whereas particulate ChS has a peak at pH 7.0-7.5. Both the activities were dependent on bivalent metal ions, especially Mn2+ and Mn2+ plus Co2+. In contrast with the ChS of other organisms, neither the particulate nor the soluble ChS of E. invadens was activated by trypsin treatment. Soluble and particulate ChS were also stimulated by digitonin and phosphatidylserine, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine stimulated only the soluble ChS. The enzyme activities were inhibited by UDP, UDP-glucose and UDP-GalNAc, but not by the analogues Polyoxin-D or Nikkomycin. This is the first report of an enzyme which is developmentally regulated during encystation of the primitive eukaryotic genus Entamoeba.