Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lipid analyses of isolated surface membranes ofLeishmania Donovani promastigotes

  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Constituent lipids of surface membranes (SM) isolated fromLeishmania donovani promastigotes were analyzed and compared with those obtained from whole cells and an isolated kinetoplast-mitochondrion fraction (KM). On a dry weight basis, the total extractable lipids constituted ≈47%, 12% and 24% of the SM, cells and KM, respectively. The total lipids of SM, cells and KM all were composed of ≈70% phospholipids (PL), 20–25% neutral lipids and 5–10% glycolipids. Sterols and diglycerides composed 60% and 30%, respectively, of the various neutral lipid fractions. Several mannose- and galactose-containing glycolipids were fractionated but not identified. The glycolipid fractions from cells and SM had demonstrable antigenic activities with rabbit anti-SM sera. Striking quantitative differences were apparent between the PL profiles of the 3 cellular components examined. The PL of SM, whole cells and KM, respectively, were composed of: 15%, 51% and 24% phosphatidylcholine; 37%, 13% and 11% phosphatidylethanolamine (PE); 18%, 10% and 14% phosphatidylinositol; 10%, 1% and 4% phosphatidylserine and traces of cardiolipin, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid. An unknown PL containing sphingosine, choline and vicinal hydroxyl groups but no free amino moieties made up ≈19% of the PL of SM and whole cells, but it constituted ≈27% of the PL of KM. The PL side chain constituents of whole cells and SM were composed mainly of longchain fatty acids (C18–20). Further, over 50% of the PE of SM was in the alkyl and alK-1-enyl ether forms. These SM properties might contribute to the organism's resistance to digestion in the hydrolytic environs of both its insect vector and mammalian hosts.

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

  1. Adler, S. (1964) in Advances in Parasitology (Dawes, B., ed.), Vol. 2, pp. 35–96, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chang, K.-P., and Dwyer, D.M. (1978) J. Exp. Med. 147, 515–530.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dwyer, D.M. (1979) in Microbiology 1979 (Schlessinger, D., ed.), pp. 130–134, Amer. Soc. Microbiol., Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berman, J.D., Dwyer, D.M., and Wyler, D.J. (1979) Infect. Immun. 26, 375–379.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dwyer, D.M. (1980) J. Protozool. 27, 176–182.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Dwyer, D.M. (1981) in The Biochemistry of Parasites (Slutzky G.M., ed.) pp. 9–28, Pergamon Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dwyer, D.M. (1982) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. (suppl.) 16.

  8. Dwyer, D.M. (1978) Proceedings of the IV International Congress on Parasitol, Sec. F, pp. 37–38, Warsaw.

  9. Gottlieb, M., and Dwyer, D.M. (1981) in The Biochemistry of Parasites (Slutzky, G.M., ed.) pp. 29–45, Pergamon Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gottlieb, M., and Dwyer, D.M. (1981) Exp. Parasitol. 52, 117–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gottlieb, M., and Dwyer, D.M. (1981) Science 212, 939–941.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gottlieb, M., and Dwyer, D.M. (1983) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 7, 303–317.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dwyer, D.M., and Gottlieb, M. (1984) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 10, 139–150.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Dwyer, D.M. (1977) Exp. Parasitol. 41, 341–358.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Steiger, R.F., and Black, C.D.V. (1980) Acta Trop. 37, 195–198.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wassef, M.K., Lin, Y.N., and Horowitz, M.I. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 573, 222–226.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Rouser, G.G., Kritchevsky, G. and Yamamato, A. (1976) in Lipid Chromatographic Analysis (Marinetti, G.V., ed.), Vol. 3, pp. 726–733, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rouser, G., Siakotos, A.N., and Fleischer, S. (1966) Lipids 1, 85–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kates, M. (1972) in Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Work, T.S., and Work, E., eds.) pp. 269–610, American Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Ferrell, W.J., Radolff, J.F., and Jackiw, A.B. (1969) Lipids 4, 278–282.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Renkonen, O. (1961) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 54, 361–362.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kates, M., and Paradis, M. (1973) Can. J. Biochem. 51, 184–197.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wassef, M.K., Ammon, V., and Wyllie, T.D. (1975) Lipids 10, 185–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., and Randall, R.J. (1951) J. Biol. Chem. 193, 265–275.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Bligh, E.G., and Dyer, W.J. (1959) Comp. J. Biochem. Physiol. 37, 911–917.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wassef, M.K., and Horowitz, M.I. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 665, 234–243.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wassef, M.K., and Hendrix, J. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 486, 172–178.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Beach, D.H., Holz, G.G. Jr., and Anekwe, G.E. (1979) J. Parasitol. 65, 203–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gercken, G., Hintze, U., and Ahrens, K. (1976) Behring Inst. Mitt. 60, 58–64.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Herrmann, H., and Gercken, G. (1982) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 5, 65–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Fish, W.R., Holz, G.G. Jr., and Beach, D.H. (1982) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 5, 1–18.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Jacobs, G., Herrmann, H., and Gercken, G. (1982) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 13B, 367–373.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Goad, L.J., Holz, G.G. Jr., and Beach, D.H. (1984) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 10, 161–170.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Gahmberg, C.G., and Hakomori, S.-I. (1976) in Biomembranes (Manson, L.A., ed.) Vol. 8, pp. 131–166, Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Mc Laughlin, J., and Meerovitch, E (1975) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 52B, 477–486.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Franco daSilveira, J., and Colli, W. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 644, 341–350.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Venkatesan, S., and Ormerod, W.E. (1976) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 53, 481–487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Dixon, H., and Williamson, J. (1970) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 33, 111–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Oliveira, M.M., Timm, S.L., and Costa, S.C.G. (1977) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 58, 195–199.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Palmer, F.B.St.C. (1974) J. Protozool. 21, 160–163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Hunt, R.C., and Ellar, D.J. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 339, 173–189.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Chapman, D., and Leslie, K.B. (1970) in Membranes of Mitochondria and Chloroplasts (Racker, E., ed.), pp. 91–126, Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Fleishcher, S., Brierley, G., Klouwen, H., and Slautterback, D.B. (1962) J. Biol. Chem. 237, 3264–3272.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Tzagoloff, A., and Mac Lennan, D.H. (1965) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 99, 476–485.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Magnall, D., and Getz, G.S. (1973) in Lipids and Biomembranes of Eukaryotic Microorganism (Erwin, J.A., ed.) pp. 145–195, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  46. DeMel, R.A., and DeKruyff, B. (1976) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 447, 109–132.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Cooper, R.A. (1978) J. Supramolec. Struc. 8, 413–430.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Van Blitterwijk, W.J., Emmelot, P., Hilkmann, H.A.M., Hilgers, J., and Feltkamp, C.A. (1979) Int. J. Cancer 23, 62–70.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Thompson, G.A., and Nozawa, Y. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 472, 55–92.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Beach, D.H., Holz, G.G. Jr., Semprevivo, L.H., and Honigberg, B.M. (1982) J. Parasitol. 68, 1004–1009.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Momtaz K. Wassef

    Present address: Lipid Metabolism-Atherogenesis Branch, Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Federal Building, 20205, Bethesda, MD

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cell Biology and Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 5, Rm. 112, 20205, Bethesda, MD

    Momtaz K. Wassef, Thomas B. Fioretti & Dennis M. Dwyer

Authors
  1. Momtaz K. Wassef
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thomas B. Fioretti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dennis M. Dwyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Wassef, M.K., Fioretti, T.B. & Dwyer, D.M. Lipid analyses of isolated surface membranes ofLeishmania Donovani promastigotes. Lipids 20, 108–115 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534216

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534216

Keywords

Search

Navigation