Effect of trypsin and neuraminidase on the infectivity of Plasmodium gallinaceum sporozoites.
An investigation was carried out to examine the effect of trypsin and neuraminidase on the infectivity of Plasmodium gallinaceum sporozoites. The sporozoites were obtained from freshly dissected salivary glands of Aedes aegypti: their infectivity was assayed by their ability to produce a patent parasitaemia following their inoculation into day-old chicks. Infectivity was abolished by treatment of the sporozoites with trypsin at a concentration of 100 micrograms ml-1 for 30 minutes at 30 degrees C. Incubation of sporozoites with neuraminidase (1 unit ml-1 for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C), however, had no effect on their infectivity. It is suggested that the proteolytic action of the trypsin removed a presumed receptor for the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system from the surface of the sporozoite.
D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology; D008289:Malaria, Avian / Q000469:parasitology; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D009439:Neuraminidase; D014357:Trypsin