Ca2+/H+ exchange in acidic vacuoles of Trypanosoma brucei.

Intracellular Ca2+ storage in acidocalcisomes of Trypanosoma cruzi.

The use of digitonin to permeabilize the plasma membrane of Trypanosoma cruzi allowed the identification of a non-mitochondrial nigericin- or bafilomycin A1-sensitive Ca(2+)-uptake mechanism. Proton uptake, as detected by ATP-dependent Acridine Orange accumulation, was also demonstrated in these permeabilized cells. Under these conditions Acridine Orange was concentrated in abundant cytoplasmic...

Efficacy of repeated doses of diminazene aceturate (Dinazene®) in the treatment of experimental Trypanosoma brucei infection of Albino rats

The efficacy of repeated doses of Dinazene® in Albino rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei (Gboko strain) was investigated. A total of 30 adult female Albino rats weighing 130-190 g were used for the study. They were assigned to six groups (groups A-F) of five rats each. Groups A-D were infected intraperitoneally with 1.0 × 106 trypanosomes in 400 μL of PBS diluted blood while g...

Reactive oxygen species activate a Ca2+-dependent cell death pathway in the unicellular organism Trypanosoma brucei brucei.

Here we examine a cell death process induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the haemoflagellate Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Ca2+ distribution in cellular compartments was measured with stable transformants expressing aequorin targeted to the cytosol, nucleus or mitochondrion. Within 1.5 h of ROS production, mitochondrial Ca2+ transport was impaired and the Ca2+ barrier between the nuclear e...

Calcium ions initiate the selective depolymerization of the pellicular microtubules in bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei.

Calcium ions (100 microM) were found to initiate the selective and complete depolymerization of the pellicular microtubules of Trypanosoma brucei. The Ca2+-dependent release of tubulin was found to occur without the detectable mediation of calmodulin. The released, depolymerized, pellicular tubulin from T. brucei cross-reacted with a monoclonal antibody raised against yeast tubulin. The pellicu...

In Vitro Analysis of a-Amanitin-Resistant Transcription from the rRNA, Procyclic Acidic Repetitive Protein, and Variant Surface Glycoprotein Gene Promoters in Trypanosoma brucei