title: Acidocalcisomes of trypanosomatids have species-specific elemental composition.
abstract: The elemental composition and stoichiometric profile of elements present in acidocalcisomes of different genera of the Trypanosomatidae family (insect, plant, and mammalian parasites) submitted to parallel cultivation conditions were studied. X-ray microanalysis using transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with a morphometric approach was used to investigate the elemental content, number, distribution, and volumetric density of acidocalcisomes of different species. Microanalytical data showed that the different parasites possess the same elemental composition (oxygen, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc) in their acidocalcisomes. However, the relative concentrations of the elements varied among species, but not within acidocalcisomes of individual species. Iron was detected in acidocalcisomes of all species analyzed, characterizing this element as a constituent of these organelles. Taken together, the results strongly indicate a species-specific composition of acidocalcisomes in trypanosomatid parasites.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Univesidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av Brigadeiro Trompovski, s/n, Bloco G, Cidade Universitária, 21949-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kildare
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Docampo
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: Wanderley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D015388:Organelles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D012964:Sodium; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D010100:Oxygen; D002118:Calcium