title: Essential amino acids and other essential components for development of Angiostrongylus costaricensis from third-stage larvae to young adults.
abstract: Third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus costaricensis were cultured to the young adult stage in Waymouth's chemically defined medium MB 752/1, which contained 18 amino acids, 11 vitamins, glutathione, hypoxanthine, and glucose in a balanced salt solution. Nutritional requirements were examined by deletion of single components from Waymouth's medium. Ten amino acids, namely L-arginine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, and L-valine, were shown to be essential for the parasite's development. L-Aspartic acid, L-cysteine, L-cystine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, glycine, L-proline, and L-tyrosine were not essential. Among the 11 vitamins, only choline chloride was essential for the development. The deletion of pyridoxine from the medium adversely affected parasite development. Glucose was also required by the worms, but glutathione and hypoxanthine were not required for their development. When the 10 essential L-amino acids were replaced individually by D-isomers of the same amino acids, none supported larval development in the manner of the L-amino acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hata
mesh_terms: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D000801:Angiostrongylus / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D014815:Vitamins
chemical_list: D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D003470:Culture Media; D014815:Vitamins