RESUMEN
Protein kinases are present in the plasma membrane of the human parasite Leishmania. A marked increase in enzyme activity has been detected as cultures entered into the stationary phase of growth. Since avirulent parasites can be separated from virulent forms by the peanut agglutinin (PNA), we have examined the change in the protein kinase activity of L. major during growth in vitro and the difference in phosphorylation with virulent promastigotes (PNA-) of L. major. Marked similarities were found between the phosphorylation patterns of the logarithmic and stationary phase promastigotes of L. major. On the other hand, when the phosphorylation pattern of those proteins, shared by both the metacyclic (PNA-) promastigotes and the stationary phase cells, was examined, a marked increase in both the total number of phosphoproteins and the extent of their phosphorylation was observed in PNA-. Both the increase in protein kinase activity in the stationary phase parasites and the marked changes in phosphorylation in the highly infective promastigotes, may provide a clue as to the adaptative mechanism which enable promastigotes to survive within the vertebrate host.
Asunto(s)
Leishmania major/enzimología , Leishmania major/patogenicidad , Fosfotransferasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Quinasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Protozoarias/metabolismo , Animales , Leishmania major/crecimiento & desarrollo , Fosforilación , VirulenciaRESUMEN
Leishmania major promastigotes were analyzed for the presence of protein phosphatase activity in intact cells and membrane-enriched fractions. Parasite phosphoproteins, phosphorylated in live cells with [gamma-32P]adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and an endogenous leishmanial ectokinase, were dephosphorylated by endogenous protein phosphatase-like activity in intact cells and a membrane-rich fractions. An alkaline phosphatase-like activity was also identified using the artificial substrate, p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). This activity was localized on the extracellular membrane of intact parasites, as well as in the particulate fraction of lysed cells. The phosphatase activity measure using pNPP had inhibition properties and a pH profile between protein phosphatase and general alkaline phosphatases. This study supports the observation that there is extracellular protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in L. major which may play a significant role in host cell-parasite recognition and infection.
Asunto(s)
Fosfatasa Alcalina/metabolismo , Leishmania tropica/enzimología , Fosfoproteínas Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Animales , Sistema Libre de Células , FosforilaciónRESUMEN
Screening by enzyme electrophoresis of isolates of New World Leishmania from different geographic areas revealed a number of stocks with enzyme profiles different from those produced by reference strains of described subspecies of L. mexicana, L. braziliensis, and L. donovani. Analysis by six enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase; alanine aminotransferase; malate dehydrogenase; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; phosphoglucomutase; and glucose-phosphate isomerase) showed that these stocks have identical enzyme profiles and form a distinct zymodeme grouping. These observations were confirmed using the technique of schizodeme analysis and by comparing the k-DNA fingerprints produced by the restriction enzymes MspI, BspRI and AluI. The stocks were further analyzed by monoclonal antibodies and did not react with any of a large panel of L. mexicana, L. braziliensis, and L. donovani species- and/or subspecies-specific monoclonal antibodies using either an indirect radioimmune binding assay or immunofluorescence. These stocks did, however, react with a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific for L. major (formerly L. tropica major). Furthermore, the stocks could not be differentiated from L. major reference strains by enzyme electrophoresis nor could they be distinguished qualitatively from L. major based on their reactivity patterns using 10 Old World cutaneous species- and subspecies-specific monoclonal antibodies. Kinetoplast DNA restriction enzyme profiles, however, were different between these stocks and L. major reference strains. The implications of these results are discussed including the existence of other L. major-like stocks currently misidentified or uncharacterized.
Asunto(s)
Leishmania tropica/clasificación , Leishmania/clasificación , Adulto , Animales , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/inmunología , Antígenos de Protozoos/inmunología , Brasil , Reacciones Cruzadas , ADN/análisis , Electroforesis en Gel de Agar , Enzimas/análisis , Humanos , Leishmania/enzimología , Leishmania/inmunología , Leishmania/aislamiento & purificación , Leishmania braziliensis/enzimología , Leishmania braziliensis/inmunología , Leishmania donovani/enzimología , Leishmania donovani/inmunología , Leishmania mexicana/enzimología , Leishmania mexicana/inmunología , Leishmania tropica/enzimología , Leishmania tropica/inmunología , Leishmaniasis/parasitología , Masculino , Fenotipo , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
Monoclonal antibodies have been produced that are specific for the reference stocks of Leishmania mexicana species and subspecies L. mexicana mexicana(L11, M379), L. mexicana amazonensis (WR303, H6, LV72), and L. mexicana pifanoi (L20). The specificities of these antibodies were confirmed by analyses employing an indirect radioimmune binding assay and 107 stocks of New World Leishmania. The molecules associated with these species- and subspecies-specific determinants have been characterized by Western blot analysis and consist of mainly low m.w. (11,000 to 50,000) membrane-associated components.