Characterization and grouping of Trypanosoma cruzi stocks by DNA base-specific fluorochromes and discriminant analysis.

Fluorochromes with G-C and A-T specificity were used for a single-cell DNA analysis of the blood-stream forms of 14 Trypanosoma cruzi stocks in a cytofluorometric assay. The kinetoplast contained 22.3%-37.

Characterization and grouping of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, T.b. gambiense and T.b. rhodesiense by quantitative DNA-cytofluorometry and discriminant analysis.

For characterization and differentiation 13 stocks of Trypanosoma brucei spp. were used for a quantitative cytofluorometric determination of their DNA fluorescence intensities by two base-pair-specific fluorochromes. T.

Cytofluorometry as a method for the differentiation of trypanosomes.

The DNA binding guanine specific antibiotic, chromomycin A3, has been evaluated for fluorescence intensity measurements of T. cruzi, T. brucei brucei and T.

Comparative characterization of Venezuelan Trypanosoma cruzi stocks by electron microscopy, isoelectrofocusing and lectin typing.

The intraspecific variation among culture forms of 14 Venezuelan Trypanosoma cruzi stocks were examined by kDNA configuration, isoenzymes, and agglutination behaviour of lectins. The results have shown that in all of the stocks the central band of kDNA is present, showing that the stocks are parasites of the subgenus Schizotrypanum. By isoenzymes and lectin typing it has been found that the stocks belong to the isoenzyme group I and the lectin-type PNA which were already described for other Venezuelan stocks.

The occurrence of N-acetyl- and N-glycoloylneuraminic acid in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Different strain of Trypanosoma cruzi were analysed to have 65--105 micrograms of sialic acids per 10(10) cells. By thin-layer chromatography, and in part by gas liquid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, all strains were found to contain N-acetyl- and N-glycoloylneuraminic acid in various ratios. After incubation of the parasites with either [3H]acetate or N-acetyl-[3H]mannosamine, no radioactivity was found in the sialic acids, thus leading to the suggestion that the parasites are unable to synthesize sialic acids from their precursors.