title: Acid phosphatase activity of virulent and avirulent clones of Leishmania donovani promastigotes.
abstract: Virulent and avirulent clones of Leishmania donovani promastigotes were examined for their acid phosphatase activity. The acid phosphatase activity of whole-cell lysates of virulent clones was 1.5 to 2.0 times higher than that of avirulent clones. Pellet fractions (260,000 x g, 30 min) from sonicated promastigotes of a virulent clone and an avirulent clone contained 60 and 40% of the total enzyme activity, respectively. Membrane-bound acid phosphatase was extracted with Triton X-100 from the pellet. This membrane-bound phosphatase activity was 2.4-fold higher in virulent organisms than in avirulent organisms. The membrane acid phosphatase exhibited two distinct bands on polyacrylamide gels stained for enzyme activity. One diffuse, faster-migrating band showed identical electrophoretic mobility in both virulent and avirulent clones, although a higher enzymatic activity was observed with the extract from virulent cells. In contrast, a slower-migrating band was different between the two clones in the mobility. These results suggest that membrane-bound acid phosphatase was quantitatively and qualitatively different between virulent and avirulent promastigotes of L. donovani. In addition, virulent cells produced a relatively high level of acid phosphatase throughout the growth in culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katakura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D002999:Clone Cells; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000135:Acid Phosphatase