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Analysis of the Soluble and Membrane‐bound Immobilization Antigens of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis
Author(s) -
XU CHUNHUI,
CLARK THEODORE G.,
LEFF ADAM A.,
DICKERSON HARRY W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1995.tb05905.x
Subject(s) - ichthyophthirius multifiliis , biology , antigen , antibody , parasite hosting , organelle , membrane protein , cytoplasm , immune system , membrane , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , immunology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , world wide web , computer science
. The immobilization antigens (i‐antigens) are a class of highly abundant surface membrane proteins found on a number of holotrich ciliates. In Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (an obligate parasite of fish) these antigens appear to be targets of the host immune response. While the i‐antigens of Ichthyophthirius are predominantly membrane‐associated proteins, we now find that they are released into the water surrounding the parasite in a highly enriched form. The membrane‐associated and water soluble proteins appear indistinguishable by antigenic means, as well as by several biochemical criteria including peptide mapping, mobility in reducing and non‐reducing SDS‐polyacrylamide gels, and relative glycosylation. Antibodies raised against the membrane‐associated antigens react with the water soluble proteins on Western blots. Not surprisingly, immunocytochemical localization studies show binding of these antibodies to surface membranes of the cell. In addition, however, antibody binding is also detectible on the membranes of a secretory organelle (that is, mucocysts) present in the cortical cytoplasm. The significance of these findings with regard to the potential role of the i‐antigens in infection and immunity is discussed.