The Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane of Encephalitozoon cuniculi Lacks Host Cell Membrane Proteins Immediately after Invasion

ABSTRACT

Microsporidia of the genus Encephalitozoon develop inside a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) of unknown origin. Using colocalization studies, the PV was found to be absent from the endocytic pathway markers early endosomal autoantigen 1, transferrin receptor, and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 and for the endoplasmic reticulum marker calnexin. The nonfusiogenic characteristic of the PV appears to be acquired as early as 1 min postinfection and is not reversed by drug treatment with albendazole or fumagillin.