Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antigenic characterisation of cultured trypanosomes isolated from three species of fishes

  • Published:
Systematic Parasitology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Size profiles and antigenic comparisons were made of polypeptides from cultured fish trypanosomes. Twenty, 19 and 18 polypeptides (15–106 kD) were resolved from Trypanosoma phaleri, T. catostomi and Trypanosoma sp., respectively using SDS-PAGE and gel densitometry. Differences between species were also observed in the relative amount of a polypeptide (according to its molecular weight). Most polypeptides in the homologous (PS1 & PS2) and heterologous (LO1 & LO2) clones of T. phaleri were antigenically similar as demonstrated by Western blotting. However antigenicity of 70–75 kD polypeptides differed. In contrast, only a 100 kD polypeptide in Trypanosoma sp. and 85 kD polypeptides in both T. catostomi and Trypanosoma sp. appeared to be antigenically similar to those of T. phaleri. Examination of T. phaleri using the microscopic immuno-substrate-enzyme technique (MISET) suggested that antigenic differences were probably associated with surface antigens. Some limitations of SDS-PAGE and Western blotting as tools in systematics are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, N.L., Parish, N.M., Richardson, J.P. & Pearson T.W. (1985) Comparison of African trypanosomes of different antigenic phenotypes, sub-species and life cycle stages by two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 16, 299–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bardsley, J.E. & Harmsen, R. (1973) The trypanosomes of Anura. Advances in Parasitology, 11, 1–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birkelund, S. & Andersen, H. (1988) Comparative studies of Mycoplasma antigens and corresponding antibodies. In: Bjerrum, O.J. & Heegaard, N.H.H. (Eds.) Handbook of immunoblotting proteins. Boca Raton, Florida: C.R.C. Press, Vol. 2, pp. 25–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bower, S.M. & Woo, P.T.K. (1982) Immunological comparison of four Trypanosoma spp. (subgenus Schizotrypanum) from bats. Parasitology, 85, 111–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, M.M. (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Analytical Biochemistry, 72, 248–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, C. (1962) Blood groups in rabbits. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 97, 26–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L.S. (1965) A study of the morphology, biology and taxonomy of the trypanosomes of Anura. Wildlife Diseases, 44, 1–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, D.M. (1980) Isolation and partial characterization of surface membranes from Leishmania donovani promastigotes. Journal of Protozoology, 27, 176–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, D.M. & D'Alesandro, P.A. (1980) Isolation and characterization of pellicular membranes from Trypanosoma lewisi bloodstream forms. Journal of Parasitology, 66, 377–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fong, D. & Cheng, K.-P. (1981) Tubulin biosynthesis in the developmental cycle of a parasitic protozoan, Leishmania mexicana, changes during differentiation of motile and nonmotile stages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 78, 7624–7628.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey, D.G. (1978) Identification of economically important parasites. Nature, 273, 600–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansson, K.-E. (1988) Separation of antigens by analytical gel electrophoresis. In: Bjerrum, O.J. & Heegaard, N.H.H. (Eds.) Handbook of immunoblotting protein. Boca Raton, Florida: C.R.C. Press, Vol. 1, pp. 31–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S.R.M. & Woo, P.T.K. (1990) The biology of Trypanosoma phaleri n. sp. from bowfin, Amia calva L. in Canada and the United States. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68, 1956–1961.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S.R.M. & Woo, P.T.K. (1991a) Development and infectivity of Trypanosoma phaleri in leech and fish hosts. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 69, 1522–1529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S.R.M. & Woo, P.T.K. (1991b) Culture characteristics of Trypanosoma catostomi and Trypanosoma phaleri from North American freshwater fishes. Parasitology, 103, 237–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S.R.M. & Woo, P.T.K. (1992) Vector specificity of Trypanosoma catostomi and its infectivity to freshwater fishes. Journal of Parasitology, 78, 87–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli, U.K. (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the lead of bacteriophage T4. Nature, 227, 680–685.

    Google Scholar 

  • Letch, C.A. (1979) Host restriction, morphology and isoenzymes among trypanosomes of some British freshwater fishes. Parasitology, 79, 107–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lom, J. (1979) Biology of the trypanosomes and trypanoplasms of fish. In: Lumsden, W.H.R. & Evans, D.A. (Eds) Biology of the Kinetoplastida, London: Academic Press, Vol. 2, pp. 269–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Majiwa, P.A.O., Hamers, R., vanMeirvenne, N. & Matthyssens G. (1986) Evidence for genetic diversity in Trypanosoma (Nannomonas) congolense. Parasitology, 93, 291–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramlau, J. (1988) Polyclonal antibodies as primary reagent in immunoblotting-uses and limitations. In: Bjerrum, O.J. & Heegaard, N.H.H. (Eds) Handbook of immunoblotting proteins, Boca Raton, Florida: C.R.C. Press, Vol. 1, pp. 151–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seebeck, T., Hemphill, A. & Lawson, D. (1990) The cytoskeleton of trypanosomes. Parasitology Today, 6, 49–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, A.E.R., Edwards, Y.H., Smith, V., Baker, J.R., Woo, P.T.K., Lanham, S.M. & Pennick, N.C. (1982) Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) species from insectivorous bats (Microchiroptera), characterization by polypeptide profiles. Systematic Parasitology, 4, 155–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Towbin, H., Staehelin, T. & Bordon, J. (1979) Electrophoretic transfer of protein from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets, procedure and some applications. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 76, 4350–4354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woo, P.T.K. (1969a) The haematocrit centrifuge for the detection of trypanosomes. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 47, 921–923.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woo, P.T.K. (1969b) The life cycle of Trypanosoma chrysemydis. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 49, 1139–1151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woo, P.T.K. (1979) Trypanoplasma salmositica: experimental infections in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri. Experimental Parasitology, 47, 36–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woo, P.T.K. (1990) MISET: An immunological technique for the serodiagnosis of Cryptobia salmositica (Sarcomastigophora: Kinetoplastida) infection in Oncorhynchus mykiss. Journal of Parasitology, 76, 389–393.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    S. R. M. Jones & P. T. K. Woo

Authors
  1. S. R. M. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. T. K. Woo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jones, S.R.M., Woo, P.T.K. Antigenic characterisation of cultured trypanosomes isolated from three species of fishes. Syst Parasitol 23, 43–50 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008008

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008008

Keywords

Search

Navigation