title: Release and purification of Trypanosoma brucei variant surface glycoprotein.
abstract: Conditions affecting the solubilization of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) from Trypanosoma brucei have been investigated. The results obtained form the basis for a convenient and efficient method for VSG purification. VSG release from the cell surface was temperature-dependent, following osmotic lysis at 0 degree C, and was inhibited by low concentrations of Zn2+ but not by tosyl-lysine chloromethyl-ketone (TLCK), phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), or iodoacetamide. These and other results eliminated the possibility that release was due to proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminal hydrophobic tail present on newly synthesized VSG. Bolton and Hunter reagent reacted with several components on living cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000032:analysis*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; D015032:Zinc
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; D015032:Zinc