Open AccessStage‐specific proteinases of Leishmania mexicana mexicana promastigotes
Author(s) -
Robertson Colin D.,
Coombs Graham H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1992.tb05301.x
Subject(s) - leishmania mexicana , amastigote , parasite hosting , leishmania , biology , cysteine , enzyme , biochemistry , stationary phase , chemistry , chromatography , world wide web , computer science
Four distinct bands of cysteine proteinase activity were detected when stationary‐phase populations of Leishmania mexicana mexicana were subjected to gelatin‐SDS‐PAGE. The highest mobility band contained at least three isoforms separable by mono Q anion exchange chromatography. These high mobility activities were distinct from all the major amastigote enzymes. Stationary‐phase promastigote populations also contained two acid‐activable precursor forms of the promastigote‐specific band. It is suggested that these promastigote‐specific activities occur in the infective metacyclic stage of the parasite and may have a role in parasite survival upon inoculation into a mammal.