Trichomonas vaginal is is the sexually transmitted agent of trichomoniasis. Although the organism is believed to only reproduce via binary fission, genes specific to 5 Meiosis and Homologous Recombination have been identified in its genome. It is unclear whether the organism has the ability to undergo sexual reproduction or if it has lost that ability over time. Aside from meiosis, these genes could be expressed for use in antigenic variation and in the creation or transfer of resistance genes to other cells. In this study, we induced the expression ofDMCl and Rad51 homologues-key players in Homologous Recombination-using a system of tetracycline induction. We localized DMCl to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, while Rad51 is localized to the nucleus. We performed a DNA strand exchange that suggests DMCl may be capable of DNA strand exchange. We also developed a system to determine whether haploid cells of Trichomonas vaginal is are capable of cytoplasmic fusion through the use of fluorescent proteins. Specifically, this study focuses on a line of Green Fluorescent Protein-expressing cells.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pacific.edu/oai:scholarlycommons.pacific.edu:uop_etds-1860 |
| Date | 01 January 2013 |
| Creators | Ilustrisimo, Tom |
| Publisher | Scholarly Commons |
| Source Sets | University of the Pacific |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations |
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