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The Surface Charge of Tritrichomonas foetus
Author(s) -
FILHO FERNANDO COSTA E SILVA,
ELIAS CEZAR ANTONIO,
SOUZA WANDERLEY
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1982.tb01333.x
Subject(s) - tritrichomonas foetus , surface charge , isoelectric point , ionic strength , chemistry , neuraminidase , electrophoresis , hydroxide , colloid , ferritin , charge density , nuclear chemistry , fetus , chromatography , biophysics , inorganic chemistry , biochemistry , enzyme , biology , aqueous solution , organic chemistry , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics , pregnancy
The surface charge of Tritrichomonas foetus was evaluated by means of the binding of colloidal iron hydroxide particles at pH 1.8 and cationized ferritin particles at pH 7.2 to the cell surface, as visualized by electron microscopy and by direct measurements of the electrophoretic mobility (EPM), of cells suspended in solutions of different ionic strength and pH. At pH 7.2, T. foetus has a negative surface charge with a mean EPM of −1.03 μmμs −1 μV −1 μcm. At lower pH, there is a decrease in the negative surface charge with an isoelectric point at pH 1.2. At higher pH (> 9.0), there is an increase in the surface charge reaching an EPM of −2.5 μmμs −1 μV −1 μcm. These results indicate that the surface of T. foetus contains both negatively and positively charged dissociating groups. Binding of colloidal iron hydroxide and cationized ferritin particles throughout the cell surface of the protozoon was observed. Treatment of T. foetus with neuraminidase or trypsin reduced significantly the EPM of the cells. Enzyme‐treated cells recovered their normal EPM when incubated for 6 h in fresh culture medium by a process that is inhibited by puromycin.