Trypanosoma bruceicolonises the tsetse gut via an immature peritrophic matrix in the proventriculus

Abstract

Projection (MIP) (top) and 3D reconstruction (bottom) of a trapped trypanosome. e, A PM sample from 130 a naïve fly depicting how this tissue looks under DIC and MIP after rendering from multiple z-sections, 131 whilst the orthogonal view shows the XZ/YZ planes of the folded PM section. f, DIC and MIP of an 132 infected PM sample containing trypanosome cysts, whilst the orthogonal XZ-YZ views show 133 trypanosomes trapped within PM layers. A second, smaller cyst-like structure can be seen in the XZ 134 orthogonal view at a North-West position to the bigger cyst. ES, ectoperitrophic space. L, lumen. Scale 135 bar 20µm. 136 137 Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses of trypanosome-infected midguts 138 TEM was then used to better understand, at the ultrastructural level, the nature of the PM 139

Spatial confinement ofTrypanosoma bruceiin microfluidic traps provides a new tool to study free swimming parasites

“…A key feature of this trap is the corner of the structure, which single parasites preferentially targeted, and into which multiple cells collectively accumulated (leaving other regions of the same trap relatively unoccupied). We found this observation interesting, given that it is similar to T. brucei behaviour previously described in vivo in the peritrophic matrix of its vector host, the tsetse fly [32,38]. While V-shapes are simple shapes, Tryp-Chip sets the basis for further investigations to replicate the geometry of the various environments that T. brucei finds in its insect and mammalian hosts.…”

“…Specifically, our knowledge on mammalian tissue forms and 'intermediate' forms arising during the T. brucei life cycle remains limited [63]. Isolation of parasites from different host reservoirs ( [32,38,[64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73]), for their longitudinal observation in Tryp-Chip for characterization of multiple features, is an important future step we envisage. Given its potential to visualize single cell motility in free-swimming parasites, Tryp-Chip could be extended for use with other Trypanosoma species, and even other kinetoplastid parasites.…”