Fatty acid patterns of different stages of Oesophagostomum dentatum and Oesophagostomum quadrispinulatum as revealed by gas chromatography.
Total methylated fatty acid patterns of various developmental stages (third-stage larvae (L3), L3 and fourth-stage larvae (L4) cultured in vitro, L4 and female and male adults derived from intestinal contents) of the porcine nodular worms Oesophagostomum dentatum and Oesophagostomum quadrispinulatum and their cultivation medium were analysed by gas chromatography using Microbial Identification computer software. Fatty acids ranging from C-12 to C-20 could be separated. For each stage and species, characteristic patterns were found. The most prevalent fatty acids were C-18. The freshly exsheathed larvae contained the greatest variety of fatty acids (including short-chain fatty acids C-12 to C-15) with approximately equal amounts of fatty acids with odd and even chain lengths, whereas more advanced stages consisted of a lower number of fatty acids with mostly even chain lengths >/=C-16. Intestinal stages contained less odd-numbered fatty acids and less branched fatty acids than others. In contrast to intestinal L4, cultivated L4 had high amounts of C-15:0 and C-17:0. Sheathed L3 contained more C-18 than freshly exsheathed ones, and medium incubated for 7 days in the presence of parasites contained C-13 to C-15 and monounsaturated C-16, but less C-18 and C-20:4 than fresh medium or medium incubated without worms. Based on the evaluation of stage- and species-specific fatty acid patterns random samples could be assigned to the correct stage and species. In a dendrogram based on fatty acid patterns the same stages of the two species formed the closest relationships, and the intestinal stages formed a clade distinct from the cultivated larvae and L3. All stages contained considerable relative amounts of arachidonic acid, the main precursor of eicosanoids. The fixed differences between species and stages indicate genetic regulation of fatty acid patterns, while environmental influences are mirrored by differences between cultivated and intestinal stages. Regulation of fatty acid patterns probably plays a role in worm physiology and host-parasite interaction.
Joachim
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Institut für Parasitologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559, Hannover, Germany. bruttkow@parasit.tiho-hannover.de
Ryll
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Daugschies
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D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009814:Oesophagostomiasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D009815:Oesophagostomum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*
D005227:Fatty Acids