Use of glycoconjugates for trypanosomatid taxonomy

Abstract

Glycoconjugates from five trypanosomatid genera--Crithidia, Herpetomonas, Endotrypanum, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma--were extracted with Triton X-114 and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by periodic acid-Schiff staining. Most of the glycoconjugates were detected in the hydrophobic phase, indicating the presence of anchored glycoconjugates. All the trypanosomatids expressed a glycoconjugate with a low molecular weight (below 20 kDa) in this phase. In each species, however, a characteristic and specific pattern of glycoconjugates was also observed in both phases. In the hydrophobic phase: 14-29 kDa glycoconjugates in C. guilhermei; 24-70 kDa in C. fasciculata, C. luciliae, E. schaudinni, and T. cruzi Y and G strains; 45-66 kDa in C. oncopelti and H. samuelpessoai; above 36 kDa in T. dionisii; 20-24 kDa, 36-45 kDa, and 70 kDa in L. tarentolae and T. mega. In the hydrophilic phase, typical glycoproteins were observed in some trypanosomatids: 60 kDa in T. mega and T. cruzi Y strain; 70 kDa in H. samuelpessoai; 66 kDa in C. oncopelti; 20-70 kDa in C. luciliae. These findings suggest that Triton X-114-extracted glycoconjugates could be useful markers for trypanosomatid taxonomy.

Differential lectin recognition of glycoproteins in choanomastigote-shaped trypanosomatids: taxonomic implications

“…isolated from the latex; and distinct to that displayed by H. samuelpessoai [13] and H. roitmani , which corroborate the idea of the usage of sialic acid specific lectins as a tool in aiding trypanosomatid classification. The usage of hydrophobic glycoprotein [30] and proteinase [31] profiles for Crithidia taxonomy has already been suggested. In those studies, several choanomastigote‐shaped trypanosomatids were clearly distinguished by the presence of species‐specific bands by periodic acid‐Schiff‐stained SDS–PAGE and gelatin‐SDS–PAGE.…”

Trypanosoma cruzi: genetic group with peculiar biochemical and biological behavior

“…Biochemical characteristics have also been used to classify trypanosomatids. Besides isoenzyme analysis (Miles et al 1977, Tibayrenc et al 1986), specific patterns of glycoconjugates have been used as markers in phylogenic and taxonomic studies of trypanosomatids (Branquinha et al 1995). Tibayrenc et al (1986) have proposed that T. cruzi undergoes predominant clonal evolution with only rare events of genetic recombination.…”