Balczun Carsten, Scheid Patrick L
Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Central Institute of the Bundeswehr Medical Service, Koblenz, Andernacherstrasse 100, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, Parasitology and Infection Biology Group, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstrasse 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
Viruses. 2017 Apr 1;9(4):65. doi: 10.3390/v9040065.
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are parasites within both humans and animals causing a wide range of symptoms and act as hosts of, and vehicles for phylogenetically diverse microorganisms, called endocytobionts. The interaction of the FLA with sympatric microorganisms leads to an exceptional diversity within FLA. Some of these bacteria, viruses, and even eukaryotes, can live and replicate intracellularly within the FLA. This relationship provides protection to the microorganisms from external interventions and a dispersal mechanism across various habitats. Among those intracellularly-replicating or -residing organisms there are obligate and facultative pathogenic microorganisms affecting the health of humans or animals and are therefore of interest to Public Health Authorities. Mimiviruses, Pandoraviruses, and Pithoviruses are examples for interesting viral endocytobionts within FLA. Future research is expected to reveal further endocytobionts within free-living amoebae and other protozoa through co-cultivation studies, genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses.
自由生活阿米巴（FLA）是人和动物体内的寄生虫，可引发多种症状，并且作为多种系统发育上不同的微生物（称为内共生菌）的宿主和传播媒介。FLA与同域微生物的相互作用导致了FLA内部的异常多样性。其中一些细菌、病毒，甚至真核生物，可以在FLA细胞内生存和复制。这种关系为微生物提供了免受外部干预的保护以及跨各种栖息地的传播机制。在那些细胞内复制或生存的生物中，有专性和兼性致病微生物，会影响人类或动物的健康，因此受到公共卫生当局的关注。巨型病毒、潘多拉病毒和痘病毒是FLA中有趣的病毒内共生菌的例子。未来的研究有望通过共培养研究、基因组、转录组和蛋白质组分析，揭示自由生活阿米巴和其他原生动物体内更多的内共生菌。
