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The phospholipids in Enterocytozoon bieneusi: an electron spectroscopic imaging study

I Desportes-Livage1, F Harper, I Hilmarsdottir

  • 1INSERM U 313, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.

Folia Parasitologica
|January 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Ferriosmium treatment revealed phospholipidic lamellar structures in Enterocytozoon bieneusi meronts and sporonts. Electron Spectroscopy Imaging confirmed phosphorus in these membranes, indicating their lipid composition.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an important opportunistic microsporidian pathogen.
  • Understanding the ultrastructure of microsporidian membranes is crucial for developing targeted treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the membrane organization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi meronts and sporonts.
  • To determine the chemical composition of observed lamellar structures.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of microsporidian stages with ferriosmium.
  • Electron Spectroscopy Imaging (ESI) of unstained ultrathin sections.

Main Results:

  • Ferriosmium treatment highlighted lamellar organization in endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope membranes.
  • ESI detected phosphorus in these lamellar structures, confirming phospholipidic composition.
  • Phosphorus was also found in the spore's lamellar polaroplast.

Conclusions:

  • The endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope membranes in Enterocytozoon bieneusi exhibit a distinct lamellar organization.
  • These lamellar structures are composed of phospholipids.
  • The polaroplast of the spore also contains phospholipidic lamellar structures.

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