Binding of Lectins to Culture and Vector Forms of Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920 (Protozoa, Kinetoplastida) and to Structures of the Vector Gut |
| |
Authors: | W. RUDIN M. SCHWARZENBACH H. HECKER |
| |
Affiliation: | Swiss Tropical Institute, Postfach, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland |
| |
Abstract: | Culture forms of Trypanosoma rangeli could be agglutinated with Canavalia ensiformis (Con A) lectin and, less effectively with Pisum sativum agglutinin (PEA), at a concentration of 200 μg/ml. Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA I) agglutinated trypanosomes only if they were not previously washed with physiological Ringer's solution. Three other lectins did not react with the same parasite forms. Direct or indirect lectin-gold labeling techniques were applied to LR-White embedded thin sections of T. rangeli culture forms and to forms in the gut, hemolymph, and salivary glands of Rhodnius prolixus. Under these conditions, Con A was the only lectin out of 9 that bound to the surface of trypanosomes from culture and from the bug hemolymph. Con A did not react with any midgut or salivary gland forms. The preservation of the biological activity of the lectin-gold complexes that did not bind to the parasite surface was confirmed by reactions with structures of the invertebrate host. |
| |
Keywords: | Electron microscopy lectin binding vector cycle |
|
|