Phosphate transport inTrypanosoma cruzi

Zusammenfassung Epimastigoten vonTrypanosoma cruzi sind für Orthophosphate (P _i ) relativ undurchlässig. Man kann trotzdem bei zellen, die aus Ortophosphat armen Kulturen stammen, einen signifikanten Übertritt von Ortophosphat ins Zellinnere messen. Bei diesen Zellen ist die Geschwindigkeit des P _i -Transportes ins Zellinnere trotz eines diesem Vorgang entgegenwirkenden Phosphat-Konzentrationsgradienten etwa 5 mal grösser als die der P _i -Abgabe aus dem Zellinnern des umgebenden Mediums. Die Durchlässigkeitsschranke für P _i wird durch 3 mM Jodacetat zerstört.

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This work was supported by grants of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (Argentina), the Instituto Nacional de Farmacología, and the Wellcome Trust.     

Oxidative phosphorylation inTrypanosoma cruzi

Zusammenfassung In Epimastigoten vonT. cruzi wird die oxydative Phosphorylierung bewiesen durch: 1. Beseitigung der Atmungskontrolle durch Zugabe von entkoppelnden Substanzen (CCP und PCP); 2. Hemmung der Phosphorylierung durch Antimycin mit gleichzeitiger Reduktion von Cytochrom b; 3. Atmungshemmung durch Dicyclohexylcarbodiimid (DCCD); 4. Verminderung des intrazellulären ATP durch CCP, DCCD und Cyanid.

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Career Investigator, CONICET.     

Hydrogen peroxide generation inTrypanosoma cruzi

Summary Homogenates from T. cruzi epimastigotes produced 3.4 pmoles H₂O₂/min 10⁶ cells, as detected by the cytochrome c peroxidase assay. Addition of NADH or NADPH increased H₂O₂ production by a factor of 3 and 5, respectively. When supplemented with NADH and NADPH, the mitochondrial, microsomal, and supernatant fractions produced H₂O₂, the soluble fraction and the mitochondrial membranes being apparently the main generators of H₂O₂. The epimastigote homogenates showed cyanide-sensitive superoxide dismutase activity, equivalent to 0.28 g bovine superoxide dismutase per mg homogenate protein.This investigation was supported by grants from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas (CONICET) Argentina and the Scientific Office, American States Organization.Career Investigator of CONICET.     

Effects of isoxazolyl-naphthoquinoneimines on growth and oxygen radical production inTrypanosoma cruzi andCrithidia fasciculata

Several 4-(aminomethylisoxazolyl)-1,2-naphthoquinones inhibited growth and DNA synthesis inTrypanosoma cruzi and stimulated O₂ uptake and generation by the parasite epimastigotes and their mitochondrial and microsomal membranes; these results support the idea that oxygen radicals play a role in quinone toxicity. Maximal effects on respiration and generation were observed with antimycin-inhibited cells. Similar results as well as stimulation of H₂O₂ production were obtained withCrithidia fasciculata despite the presence of catalase in this organism.Acknowledgments. This work was aided by grants from the University of Buenos Aires, the Scientific Office of the American States Organization and CEDIQUIFA (Buenos Aires). S.G.G. and M.P.M.P. are Research Fellows and A.O.M.S. is Career Investigator of CONICET (Argentina). L. T. Viñas and M. G. Gutierrez lent able technical assistance.     

Effect of tingenone,a quinonoid triterpene,on growth and macromolecule biosynthesis inTrypanosoma cruzi

Summary Tingenone and horminone, two natural quinonoid substances, inhibited the in vitro growth ofTrypanosoma cruzi, 30 M drug concentration producing total inhibition of growth. Tingenone inhibited total uptake and incorporation of [³H]thymidine, [³H]uridine, L-[³H]leucine into parasite macromolecules. Other quinonoids assayed were either less effective (abruquinone A) or even quite inactive (visminone B and ferruginin B). Investigation of several mechanisms for the cytotoxic action of tingenone pointed to the interaction with DNA as the most likely factor involved. Tingenone also inhibited the growth ofCrithidia fasciculata, but the drug was significantly less active on this organism than onT. cruzi.This work was supported by grants of UNDP/World Bank/World Health Organization Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Organization of American States (Multinational Programme of Biochemistry) and Programa Nacional de Enfermedades Endémicas (SECYT), República Argentina. A preliminary account was given at the Workshop on Oxidative Damage and Related Enzymes, Frascatti (Italy), 1983.     

Metrial gland and peroxidase activity

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe des Mesidintests wurde in der Mucosa, nicht aber in den metrialen Drüsen des trächtigen Rattenuterus eine Peroxydase gefunden.     

Subcellular location of glycolytic enzymes inTrypanosoma brucei culture form

Summary The presence of a glycolytic complex or particle has been demonstrated in the insect midgut form ofTrypanosoma brucei brucei. It differs from the ‘glycosome’ of the bloodstream form of the parasite in that 3-phosphoglycerate kinase is absent. The latter enzyme appears to be cytosolic. Acknowledgment. We are grateful to Dr R. Brun for the kind supply of the strain. The work was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation No. 3.331.0.78.     

Chromatographic evidence for the synthesis of possible sleep-mediators inTrypanosoma brucei gambiense

Résumé Les trypanosomes ont converti les substratsl-tryptophan etdl-5-hydroxytryptophan en métabolites tryptophol (indole-3-éthanol) et 5-hydroxytryptophol, deux composés qui produisent le sommeil chez la souris et le poussin. Les effets possibles de ces composés soporifiques chez un homme infecté par ce parasite et leur rôle dans le métabolisme du parasite, sont discutés.

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Supported in part by a Research Corporation grant from the Brown-Hazen fund.     

Respiration rates and peroxidase activity in virus-infectedPhaseolus vulgaris

Zusammenfassung Atmungsgeschwindigkeit und Peroxidasetätigkeit mit Tabak-Nekrose-Virus eingespritzter Primärblätter desPhaseolus vulgaris L. nehmen bei 26°C vor dem Erscheinen der lokalen Wunden zu, und zwar proportional zur Wundenzahl und ebenso in Abhängigkeit vom Abstand der Periode vom Zeitpunkt der Einspritzung an.     

Proteolytic activity on endogeneous substrates in cell-free extracts ofTrypanosoma cruzi

Summary Cell-free extracts ofTrypanosoma cruzi contain proteolytic activity able to degrade endogenous substrates. The activity was maximal at pH 3 to 4, had an optimal temperature of 65°C, and was strongly inhibited by N--p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone.This investigation received financial support from the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, the Fundación Julio Cherny, and the Ministerio de Salud Pública y Medio Ambiente de la República Argentina. The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr Esteban Bontempi.     

Localization of motoneurones of retractor bulbi muscles by retrograde transport of exogenous peroxidase in cats]

Retrograde transport of exogene horseradish peroxidase has been used to localize the retractor bulbi muscle motoneurones. These motoneurones are located ventro-laterally in the tegmental reticular field; they are grouped in a rostro-caudal column above the superior olive. They correspond to the accessory nucleus of the VIe nerve described by old anatomists.     

Localization of sucrase activity in the cocoon ofBombyx mori

Summary Enzymes capable of hydrolyzing sucrose, trehalose, lactose and cellobiose were detected in the cocoon ofBombyx mori. Sucrase activity was found to be highest and was present only in the outermost layer of the cocoon.     

Some ultrastructural observations of cotyledonary tissue and microbodies fromPisum sativum

Zusammenfassung Mikrokörperchen mit Einfachmenbranen wurden bei 4 Tage alten Kotyledonen vonPisum sativum studiert und für einen cytochemischen Katalase-Test elektronenmikroskopisch verwendet. Das granuläre Reaktionsprodukt aus dem 3,3-diamino-benzidin Test für Katalase wurde ausschliesslich in den Einfachmembranen der Mikrokörperchen gefunden.     

Uptake and transport of exogenous peroxidase in the masticatory muscles of cats. Localization of ganglionic neurons]

Retrograde axonal transport of Horseradish peroxydase (HRP) has been used to trace the cells of origin of proprioceptive fibers in jaw-closing and jaw-opening muscles. After injection of HRP in young cats' masticatory muscles (masseteric, temporal, pterygoid, mylohyoid and digastric) labelled neurons were found in the ipsilateral semi-lunar ganglion and trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus. It is concluded that sensory endings are present in jaw-opening as in jaw-closing muscles; possibly the afferent fibers from muscle endings of the opener muscles have their somata in the mesencephalic nucleus, afferent fibers from tendinous receptors in the semi-lunar ganglion.