These results suggest that DNA replication is ramped down as the cells enter late stage of encystment.
Except for conceptual resemblance in encystment between cyst-forming parasitic protists and cyst-forming free-living protists, it is envisaged that there must be fundamental differences in triggers, mediators, and molecular events of encystment in protists that encyst inside a vertebrate host versus protists that normally encyst in the environment.
Previous metabolic profiling studies showed, in E. invadens, that elevated levels of GTP were present at early times (0.5, 2, and 8 h) and lower levels at later times (24, 48, and 120 h) after induction of encystment with respect to trophozoites [ 29], indirectly suggesting the presence, among other kinases, of the active state of RhoA at early times after induction of encystment.
Thus, the ratio of polymerized/total actin was higher during encystment compared to that of trophozoites; the highest level was found at 12 h, time after which this ratio decreases progressively with the time of encystment).
THE physiology of encystment and excystment of Protozoa and other micro-organisms has received little attention.
The exponential proliferation of germinated cells results in blooms, which terminate through induction of encystment.
Enolase (ENO) and Rab11 colocalized in vesicles throughout the process of encystment.
Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, by Cytochalasin D and Y27632, was able to prevent some events of encystment such as morphological change, the elimination of vacuoles, the production of encystment vesicles, and the proper formation of the cyst wall.
Subsequently, synthesis and transport of encystment vesicles happen to carry out the formation of the cyst wall.
To date, the only concerted effort at finding regulators of encystment in any bacterial species has been undertaken in R. centenum, where a screen for Tn5 mutants displaying de-repressed encystment on nutrient-rich media uncovered several such components [ 31].
