title: Binding of lectins to culture and vector forms of Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920 (Protozoa, Kinetoplastida) and to structures of the vector gut.
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 micrograms/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.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rudin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarzenbach
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hecker
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D014225:Triatominae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins