Identification of a myosin heavy chain gene from Entamoeba histolytica

The myosin heavy chain gene A, mhcA, from E. histolytica was identified by polymerase chain reaction. There is only one copy of this gene on the ameba genome. The mhcA gene encodes a 6 kb messenger RNA. The predicted protein sequence is homologous to myosin II from both, Dictyostelium discoideum and Acanthamoeba castellanii. Specific areas of the N-terminal region of myosin II are highly conserved reflecting a similarity in functional domains, like the ATP or the actin binding sites.