title: Metacyclogenesis of Leishmania spp: species-specific in vitro transformation, complement resistance, and cell surface carbohydrate and protein profiles.
abstract: Metacyclic (stationary) and logarithmic (log) forms of promastigotes of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania major were characterized in several ways. The highly active metacyclic forms were larger with more protein and less carbohydrate. The flagellum increased in length 2.4 times in L. major as compared to 1.8 times in L. donovani. Resistance to complement-mediated lysis by normal human serum of in vitro grown Leishmania promastigotes was related to the species, the growth phase in culture, and also the temperature. Metacyclic forms of both species had a much increased resistance to killing by normal serum at different temperatures. Differences in membrane-exposed carbohydrates were detected by fluorescein-conjugated lectins. Peanut agglutinin and Ulex agglutinin I differentiated log and stationary phase promastigotes of L. major. Higher amounts of acid phosphatase were demonstrated in the metacyclic phase. Differences in polypeptides were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two polypeptides of approximately 51 and 114 kDa were found exclusively in metacyclic promastigotes of both species, whereas 38- and 23-kDa polypeptides were lost or reduced during transformation from log to metacyclic phase promastigotes of L. donovani. In addition, a 75-kDa polypeptide was expressed only in metacyclic promastigotes of L. major.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bandyopadhyay
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000032:analysis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000032:analysis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D037102:Lectins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D000135:Acid Phosphatase