2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

The study of symbiosis between bacteria and protozoa in intestinal environment, and mechanisms of transmission of pathogenic bacteria internalized with protozoal cyst

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20790346
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Bacteriology (including Mycology)
Research Institution	National Institute of Infectious Diseases
Principal Investigator	SEKIZUKA Tsuyoshi National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 病原体ゲノム解析研究センター第三室, 主任研究官 (40462775)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2010
Keywords	細菌叢 / 原生動物 / 共生 / 分子生物学 / 原虫
Research Abstract	This study aims to understand the symbiosis between bacteria and protozoa in animal intestine. In this study, the new parasitic protozoa were detected from fecal sample of cattle. And then it was suggested that some viable intestinal bacteria selectively existed in the dormant protozoa, i.e. cyst condition, and these bacteria accounted for minor population in the whole feces. Some anaerobic intestinal bacteria maybe use the intestinal protozoa for a vehicle, and not only defend itself from oxygen at natural environment but also may watch for an opportunity to pass on to other hosts.