title: Stage-specific proteinases of Leishmania mexicana mexicana promastigotes.
abstract: Four distinct bands of cysteine proteinase activity were detected when stationary-phase populations of Leishmania mexicana mexicana were subjected to gelatin-SDS-PAGE. The highest mobility band contained at least three isoforms separable by mono Q anion exchange chromatography. These high mobility activities were distinct from all the major amastigote enzymes. Stationary-phase promastigote populations also contained two acid-activable precursor forms of the promastigote-specific band. It is suggested that these promastigote-specific activities occur in the infective metacyclic stage of the parasite and may have a role in parasite survival upon inoculation into a mammal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Coombs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases