Anaerobic Protozoan Parasite Research Articles

Acute suppurative appendicitis with Blastocystis hominis

Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is an anaerobic protozoan parasite, which lives in human and animal's intestines. It is commonly found in the tropical area. The parasite is low pathogen and its infection causes gastrointestinal disease with diarrhea symptom as reported from many studies. B. hominis is rarely seen in tissue section. The clinical diagnoses are usually confirmed with the microscopic examination of the stool, which can directly detect the parasite through trichrom stain and Kinyoun acid fast technique. We reported a case of 52 years old man with abdominal pain and suspected as perforated appendicitis and tumor of appendix as the differential diagnosis. The macroscopic features of the appendix mass were 7 cm in length and 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter. The cut section showed a widening of the appendix lumen, and the distal part filled with a gelatinous mass. The microscopic examination with HE stain showed the infiltration of PMN inflammatory cells in the muscle layer of the appendix and foci of a number of round structures in the sub mucosal layer known as B. hominis. Some authors reported results from the endoscopy and biopsy examinations that B. hominis does not infiltrate in the intestinal mucosa; nevertheless, in this case we found the infiltration of the parasite towards the mucosal and sub mucosal layers of the appendix.

Global analysis of gene expression in response to L-Cysteine deprivation in the anaerobic protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica

BackgroundEntamoeba histolytica, an enteric protozoan parasite, causes amebic colitis and extra intestinal abscesses in millions of inhabitants of endemic areas. E. histolytica completely lacks glutathione metabolism but possesses L-cysteine as the principle low molecular weight thiol. L-Cysteine is essential for the structure, stability, and various protein functions, including catalysis, electron transfer, redox regulation, nitrogen fixation, and sensing for regulatory processes. Recently, we demonstrated that in E. histolytica, L-cysteine regulates various metabolic pathways including energy, amino acid, and phospholipid metabolism.ResultsIn this study, employing custom-made Affymetrix microarrays, we performed time course (3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h) gene expression analysis upon L-cysteine deprivation. We identified that out of 9,327 genes represented on the array, 290 genes encoding proteins with functions in metabolism, signalling, DNA/RNA regulation, electron transport, stress response, membrane transport, vesicular trafficking/secretion, and cytoskeleton were differentially expressed (≥3 fold) at one or more time points upon L-cysteine deprivation. Approximately 60% of these modulated genes encoded proteins of no known function and annotated as hypothetical proteins. We also attempted further functional analysis of some of the most highly modulated genes by L-cysteine depletion.ConclusionsTo our surprise, L-cysteine depletion caused only limited changes in the expression of genes involved in sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism and oxidative stress defense. In contrast, we observed significant changes in the expression of several genes encoding iron sulfur flavoproteins, a major facilitator super-family transporter, regulator of nonsense transcripts, NADPH-dependent oxido-reductase, short chain dehydrogenase, acetyltransferases, and various other genes involved in diverse cellular functions. This study represents the first genome-wide analysis of transcriptional changes induced by L-cysteine deprivation in protozoan parasites, and in eukaryotic organisms where L-cysteine represents the major intracellular thiol.

Pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase and thioredoxin reductase are involved in 5-nitroimidazole activation while flavin metabolism is linked to 5-nitroimidazole resistance in Giardia lamblia

The mechanism of action of, and resistance to, metronidazole in the anaerobic (or micro-aerotolerant) protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia has long been associated with the reduction of ferredoxin (Fd) by the enzyme pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) and the subsequent activation of metronidazole by Fd to toxic radical species. Resistance to metronidazole has been associated with down-regulation of PFOR and Fd. The aim of this study was to determine whether the PFOR/Fd couple is the only pathway involved in metronidazole activation in Giardia. PFOR and Fd activities were measured in extracts of highly metronidazole-resistant (MTR(r)) lines and activities of recombinant G. lamblia thioredoxin reductase (GlTrxR) and NADPH oxidase were assessed for their involvement in metronidazole activation and resistance. We demonstrated that several lines of highly MTR(r) G. lamblia have fully functional PFOR and Fd indicating that PFOR/Fd-independent mechanisms are involved in metronidazole activation and resistance in these cells. Flavin-dependent GlTrxR, like TrxR of other anaerobic protozoa, reduces 5-nitroimidazole compounds including metronidazole, although expression of TrxR is not decreased in MTR(r) Giardia. However, reduction of flavins is suppressed in highly MTR(r) cells, as evidenced by as much as an 80% decrease in NADPH oxidase flavin mononucleotide reduction activity. This suppression is consistent with generalized impaired flavin metabolism in highly MTR(r) Trichomonas vaginalis. These data add to the mounting evidence against the dogma that PFOR/Fd is the only couple with a low enough redox potential to reduce metronidazole in anaerobes and point to the multi-factorial nature of metronidazole resistance.

High-ThroughputGiardia lambliaViability Assay Using Bioluminescent ATP Content Measurements

The human pathogen Giardia lamblia is an anaerobic protozoan parasite that causes giardiasis, one of the most common diarrheal diseases worldwide. Although several drugs are available for the treatment of giardiasis, drug resistance has been reported and is likely to increase, and recurrent infections are common. The search for new drugs that can overcome the drug-resistant strains of Giardia is an unmet medical need. New drug screen methods can facilitate the drug discovery process and aid with the identification of new drug targets. Using a bioluminescent ATP content assay, we have developed a phenotypic drug screen method to identify compounds that act against the actively growing trophozoite stage of the parasite. This assay is homogeneous, robust, and suitable for high-throughput screening of large compound collections. A screen of 4,096 pharmacologically active small molecules and approved drugs revealed 43 compounds with selective anti-Giardia properties, including 32 previously reported and 11 novel anti-Giardia agents. The most potent novel compound was fumagillin, which showed 50% inhibitory concentrations of 10 nM against the WB isolate and 2 nM against the GS isolate.

Inhibitory Effects of Iranian Thymus vulgaris Extracts on in Vitro Growth of Entamoeba histolytica

One of the most common drugs used against a wide variety of anaerobic protozoan parasites is metronidazole. However, this drug is mutagenic for bacteria and is a potent carcinogen for rodents. Thymus vulgaris is used for cough suppression and relief of dyspepsia. Also it has antibacterial and antifungal properties. The aim of this study was to investigate antiamebic effect of Thymus vulgaris against Entamoeba histolytica in comparison with metronidazole. One hundred gram air-dried T. vulgaris plant was obtained and macerated at 25 degrees C for 14 days using n-hexane and a mixture of ethanol and water. For essential oil isolation T. vulgaris was subjected to hydrodistillation using a clevenger-type apparatus for 3 hr. E. histolytica, HM-1: IMSS strain was used in all experiments. It was found that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for T. vulgaris hydroalcoholic, hexanic extracts, and the essential oil after 24 hr was 4 mg/mL, 4 mg/mL, and 0.7 mg/mL, respectively. After 48 hr the MIC for T. vulgaris hydroalcoholic and hexanic extracts was 3 and 3 mg/mL, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Iranian T. vulgaris is effective against the trophozoites of E. histolytica.

Cysteine Biosynthesis in Trichomonas vaginalis Involves Cysteine Synthase Utilizing O-Phosphoserine

Trichomonas vaginalis is an early divergent eukaryote with many unusual biochemical features. It is an anaerobic protozoan parasite of humans that is thought to rely heavily on cysteine as a major redox buffer, because it lacks glutathione. We report here that for synthesis of cysteine from sulfide, T. vaginalis relies upon cysteine synthase. The enzyme (TvCS1) can use either O-acetylserine or O-phosphoserine as substrates. The K(m) values of the enzyme for sulfide are very low (0.02 mm), suggesting that the enzyme may be a means of ensuring that sulfide in the parasite is maintained at a low level. T. vaginalis appears to lack serine acetyltransferase, the source of O-acetylserine in many cells, but has a functional 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and an O-phosphoserine aminotransferase that together result in the production of O-phosphoserine, suggesting that this is the physiological substrate. TvCS1 can also use thiosulfate as substrate. Overall, TvCS1 has substrate specificities similar to those reported for cysteine synthases of Aeropyrum pernix and Escherichia coli, and this is reflected by sequence similarities around the active site. We suggest that these enzymes are classified together as type B cysteine synthases, and we hypothesize that the use of O-phosphoserine is a common characteristic of these cysteine synthases. The level of cysteine synthase in T. vaginalis is regulated according to need, such that parasites growing in an environment rich in cysteine have low activity, whereas exposure to propargylglycine results in elevated cysteine synthase activity. Humans lack cysteine synthase; therefore, this parasite enzyme could be an exploitable drug target.

Identification of a Subversive Substrate of Trichomonas vaginalis Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase and the Crystal Structure of the Enzyme-Substrate Complex

Trichomonas vaginalis is an anaerobic protozoan parasite that causes trichomoniasis, a common sexually transmitted disease with worldwide impact. One of the pivotal enzymes in its purine salvage pathway, purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), shows physical properties and substrate specificities similar to those of the high molecular mass bacterial PNPs but differing from those of human PNP. While carrying out studies to identify inhibitors of T. vaginalis PNP (TvPNP), we discovered that the nontoxic nucleoside analogue 2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine (F-dAdo) is a "subversive substrate." Phosphorolysis by TvPNP of F-dAdo, which is not a substrate for human PNP, releases highly cytotoxic 2-fluoroadenine (F-Ade). In vitro studies showed that both F-dAdo and F-Ade exert strong inhibition of T. vaginalis growth with estimated IC(50) values of 106 and 84 nm, respectively, suggesting that F-dAdo might be useful as a potential chemotherapeutic agent against T. vaginalis. To understand the basis of TvPNP specificity, the structures of TvPNP complexed with F-dAdo, 2-fluoroadenosine, formycin A, adenosine, inosine, or 2'-deoxyinosine were determined by x-ray crystallography with resolutions ranging from 2.4 to 2.9 A. These studies showed that the quaternary structure, monomer fold, and active site are similar to those of Escherichia coli PNP. The principal active site difference is at Thr-156, which is alanine in E. coli PNP. In the complex of TvPNP with F-dAdo, Thr-156 causes the purine base to tilt and shift by 0.5 A as compared with the binding scheme of F-dAdo in E. coli PNP. The structures of the TvPNP complexes suggest opportunities for further improved subversive substrates beyond F-dAdo.

Two putative peroxidases of bacterial origin in the hydrogenosomes of the anaerobic protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis is an anaerobic protozoan parasite of the human urogenital tract. It lacks functional mitochondria but contains hydrogenosomes, anaerobic forms of mitochondria that generate ATP from the fermentative degradation of pyruvate. To determine the similarities and differences between hydrogenosomes and mitochondria, we are characterizing the proteome of purified hydrogenosomes from T. vaginalis by 2D electrophoresis and ESI‐Q‐TOF MS/MS. In the process, we have identified two proteins of bacterial origin that may function as peroxidases and this may be part of the answer to the unsolved question of how hydrogensomes in T. vaginalis are protected against the detrimental effects of oxygen: rubrerythrin is a non‐heme iron protein found predominantly in anaerobic bacteria that can reduce H2O2 and was shown to complement catalase‐deficient E. coli mutants. Among eukaryotes we have found only one further rubrerythrin homologue in the anaerobic, amitochondriate amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. Peroxiredoxins are ubiquitous peroxidases using thiols to reduce alkyl hydroperoxides. T. vaginalis hydrogenosomal thiol peroxidase (Tpx) shows 65% homology to bacterial 20‐kDa Tpx. These peroxidases contain three highly conserved Cys residues, Cys62, Cys82, and Cys95, and belong to a peroxiredoxin subfamily that previously contained eubacterial sequences only. The finding of two putative bacterial‐type peroxidases in T. vaginalis hydrogenosomes suggests that proteins involved in peroxide detoxification in these anaerobic organelles may have been acquired laterally from eubacteria.

Pyruvate formate lyase (PFL) and PFL activating enzyme in the chytrid fungus Neocallimastix frontalis: a free-radical enzyme system conserved across divergent eukaryotic lineages.

Fermentative formate production involves the activity of pyruvate formate lyase, an oxygen-sensitive enzyme that employs a glycyl radical in its reaction mechanism. While common among anaerobic prokaryotes, this enzyme has so far been found in only two distantly related eukaryotic lineages, anaerobic chytridiomycetes and chlorophytes. Sequence comparisons of homologues from the chytridiomycetes Piromyces and Neocallimastix, the chlorophyte Chlamydomonas, and numerous prokaryotes suggest a single, eubacterial origin of eukaryotic pyruvate formate lyases. Pyruvate formate lyase activating enzyme introduces the glycyl radical into the pyruvate formate lyase protein chain. We discovered this enzyme, which had not previously been reported from eukaryotes, in the same two eukaryotic lineages and show that it shares a similar evolutionary history to pyruvate formate lyase. Sequences with high homology to pyruvate formate lyase activating enzyme were identified in the genomes of the anaerobic protozoan parasites Trichomonas vaginalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia intestinalis. While the occurrence of pyruvate formate lyase activating enzyme together with pyruvate formate lyase in fungi and chlorophytes was to be expected, the target protein of a glycyl radical enzyme-activating enzyme in these protozoa remains to be identified.

An Intestinal Parasitic Protist, Entamoeba histolytica, Possesses a Non-redundant Nitrogen Fixation-like System for Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly under Anaerobic Conditions

We have characterized the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster formation in an anaerobic amitochondrial protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, in which Fe-S proteins play an important role in energy metabolism and electron transfer. A genomewide search showed that E. histolytica apparently possesses a simplified and non-redundant NIF (nitrogen fixation)-like system for the Fe-S cluster formation, composed of only a catalytic component, NifS, and a scaffold component, NifU. Amino acid alignment and phylogenetic analyses revealed that both amebic NifS and NifU (EhNifS and EhNifU, respectively) showed a close kinship to orthologs from epsilon-proteobacteria, suggesting that both of these genes were likely transferred by lateral gene transfer from an ancestor of epsilon-proteobacteria to E. histolytica. The EhNifS protein expressed in E. coli was present as a homodimer, showing cysteine desulfurase activity with a very basic optimum pH compared with NifS from other organisms. Eh-NifU protein existed as a tetramer and contained one stable [2Fe-2S]2+ cluster per monomer, revealed by spectroscopic and iron analyses. Fractionation of the whole parasite lysate by anion exchange chromatography revealed three major cysteine desulfurase activities, one of which corresponded to the EhNifS protein, verified by immunoblot analysis using the specific EhNifS antibody; the other two peaks corresponded to methionine gamma-lyase and cysteine synthase. Finally, ectopic expression of the EhNifS and EhNifU genes successfully complemented, under anaerobic but not aerobic conditions, the growth defect of an Escherichia coli strain, in which both the isc and suf operons were deleted, suggesting that EhNifS and EhNifU are necessary and sufficient for Fe-S clusters of non-nitrogenase Fe-S proteins to form under anaerobic conditions. This is the first demonstration of the presence and biological significance of the NIF-like system in eukaryotes.

Trifluoromethionine, a prodrug designed against methionine gamma-lyase-containing pathogens, has efficacy in vitro and in vivo against Trichomonas vaginalis.

Methionine gamma-lyase, the enzyme which catalyzes the single-step conversion of methionine to alpha-ketobutyrate, ammonia, and methanethiol, is highly active in many anaerobic pathogenic microorganisms but has no counterpart in mammals. This study tested the hypothesis that this pathogen-specific enzyme can be exploited as a drug target by prodrugs that are exclusively activated by it. Trifluoromethionine was confirmed as such a prodrug and shown to be highly toxic in vitro to the anaerobic protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, to anaerobic bacteria containing methionine gamma-lyase, and to Escherichia coli expressing the trichomonad gene. The compound also has exceptional activity against the parasite growing in vivo, with a single dose preventing lesion formation in five of the six mice challenged. These findings suggest that trifluoromethionine represents a lead compound for a novel class of anti-infective drugs with potential as chemotherapeutic agents against a range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic anaerobic pathogens.

Metronidazole and Mebendazole Pretreatments Suppress the Antiamebic Recognition of Lamina propia Lymphocyte Supernatants from the Small and Large Intestine in Intraperitoneally Immunized Balb/c Mice

We have previously demonstrated that intraperitoneal (i.p.) immunization of mice with glutaraldehyde-fixed trophozoites (GFT) of Entamoeba histolytica elicites strong local and systemic immune responses (1). One of the most common drugs used against a wide variety of anaerobic protozoan parasites and anaerobic bacteria is metronidazole, whose toxicity has been reviewed. The main side effects of metronidazole are headache, nausea, dry mouth, and metallic taste. Other more severe symptoms are experienced only occasionally (2). Although related chemicals have caused blood dyscrasias, only temporary neutropenia, reversible after discontinuation of therapy, occurs with metronidazole (3). Mebendazole is a versatile antihelminthic agent. Benzimidazoles produce many biochemical changes in susceptible nematodes; there is strong evidence, however, that the primary action of these drugs is to inhibit microtubule polymerization by binding to b -tubulin. Mebendazole does not cause significant systemic toxicity in routine clinical use, this probably resulting from its low systemic bioavailability. Rare side effects in patients treated with high doses of mebendazole include allergic reactions, alopecia, reversible neutropenia, agranulocytosis, and hypospermia (4). In a previous work (5), we analyzed by ELISA the antiamebic antibody response in the sera and intestinal samples of metronidazole–mebendazole pretreated, and nontreated GFT-immunized mice. We found that the GFT-immunized mice pretreated with metronidazole and mebendazole showed a significantly lower IgM and IgG serum response and a significant IgM and IgA response in intestinal fluids and supernatants of lamina propia lymphocytes from the large intestine than nontreated GFT i.p.-immunized mice. Moreover, we found that sera of metronidazole–mebendazole pretreated mice showed very low recognition of amebic proteins by Western blot. These data suggest that metronidazole and mebendazole treatment suppresses both the mucosal and systemic humoral immune response. The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of a 7-day 2.5 mg/per dose metronidazole and mebendazole (1:1) pretreatment in Balb/c mice immmunized i.p. with GFT by analyzing lamina propia lymphocyte supernatants from the small and large intestine and the systemic antiamebic immune response.

High expression, purification, and properties of recombinant homocysteine alpha, gamma-lyase.

Homocysteine alpha,gamma-lyase from the anaerobic protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis has been cloned from genomic DNA using PCR methods and expressed in Escherichia coli with a vector containing the T7 promoter. The recombinant homocysteine alpha,gamma-lyase (rHCYase) is expressed as the major protein in the host E. coli cells. The enzyme was purified to approximately 90% purity using heat treatment at 50 degreesC, precipitation steps with polyethyleneimine, polyethylene glycol 8000, and high sodium chloride, DEAE-Sepharose FF chromatography, and phenyl-Sepharose 6 FF chromatography. The final yield was greater than 50%, which encompassed an approximate 18-fold purification. The enzyme is a homotetramer with a monomer molecular weight of 43K and contains pyridoxal phosphate. The Trichomonas rHCYase is selective for homocysteine with respect to very low cysteinase activity in contrast to the alpha,gamma-lyase from Pseudomonas putida, which has very high cysteinase activity with respect to homocysteine. The T. vaginalis and P. putida alpha,gamma-lyases readily separate on a phenyl-Sepharose 6 FF column with the T. vaginalis enzyme eluting first. rHCYase is stable up to 50 degreesC and active over a pH range of 6-8. These properties of high recombinant expression in E. coli, a simple and effective high-yield purification procedure and high relative specificity for homocysteine with respect to cysteine, make rHCYase a promising candidate to use for the diagnosis of hyperhomocystenemia, which has been demonstrated to be a major risk factor for the onset and mortality of cardiovascular disease of all types.

Isolation, sequencing and expreauion of the gene encoding hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase of Tritrichomonas foetus

We have cloned and expreaued the full-length gene encoding the hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGXPRTase) from the anaerobic protozoan parasite Tritrichomonas foetus. This enzyme is eauential in nucleic acid metabolism of T. foetus because the parasite is unable to synthesize purine nucleotides de novo and relies on the HGXPRTase activities for its purine requirements. Initially, a cDNA clone encoding part of the HGXPRTase was isolated by complementation of an Escherichia coli mutant, SØ609, with a cDNA library of T. foetus. Northern blot analysis identified a single mRNA band of approximately 700–800 bases. The full-length genomic clone was then isolated and identified to have an open reading frame of 549 bp encoding an 183-amino acid sequence with an estimated size of 21.1 kDa. The sequence is only 27.3% identical to that of the human HGPRTase. The T. foetus HGXPRTase gene was subsequently cloned into the pBAce vector for expreauion in E. coli. This construct yields completely soluble and enzymatically active recombinant T. foetus HGXPRTase, which constitutes approximately 20% of the total cellular protein of the transformed E. coli. It has the same molecular weight as the authentic native enzyme, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the recombinant enzyme is identical to that predicted from the open reading frame. The high expreauion of this apparently native T. foetus HGXPRTase will provide large quantities of purified protein, neceauary for detailed kinetic and structural analysis of this enzyme for its potential value as a target for antitrichomonial chemotherapy. To our knowledge, this is also the first time a gene from T. foetus was cloned and expreaued.

Purification and characterization of methionine γ-lyase from Trichomonas vaginalis

Methionine gamma-lyase (EC 4.4.1.11) was purified to homogeneity from the anaerobic protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis by a series of f.p.l.c. procedures. The enzyme catalyses alpha gamma- and alpha beta-elimination reactions of a number of derivatives of methionine and cysteine. It also catalyses gamma-replacement reactions of the thiomethyl group of methionine, homocysteine and ethionine to yield the corresponding S-substituted homocysteine derivative. The enzyme is pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent, has a native molecular mass of approx. 160 kDa and consists of four apparently identical subunits of molecular mass 43-45 kDa. The absorption spectrum of the enzyme is typical of those obtained for other pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes, and the holoenzyme can be resolved to the apoenzyme by incubation with hydroxylamine and reconstituted by addition of the cofactor. The enzyme activity is significantly affected by carbonyl and thiol reagents, is competitively inhibited by a number of substrate analogues and is completely inactivated by the suicide inhibitor DL-propargylglycine. The T. vaginalis enzyme is similar, in terms of activity and properties, to the enzymes found in a number of species of bacteria that metabolize methionine under anaerobic conditions. It is suggested that methionine catabolism may be of particular importance to the survival of T. vaginalis under microaerophilic conditions in its host.

Pyrimidine salvage in Giardia lamblia.

We have found that the anaerobic protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is incapable of de novo pyrimidine metabolism, as shown by its inability to incorporate orotate, bicarbonate, and aspartate into the pyrimidine nucleotide pool. Results from high performance liquid chromatography of pyrimidine and pyrimidine nucleoside pulse-labeled nucleotide pools and enzyme assays suggest that the parasite satisfies its pyrimidine nucleotide needs predominantly through salvage of uracil by a cytoplasmic uracil phosphoribosyltransferase. Exogenous uridine and cytidine are primarily converted to uracil by the action of uridine hydrolase and cytidine deaminase before incorporation into nucleotide pools. Direct salvage of cytosine occurs to a relatively limited extent via cytosine phosphoribosyltransferase. G. lamblia relies on salvage of exogenous thymidine for ribosylthymine monophosphate (TMP) synthesis, accomplished primarily through the action of a 100,000 g-pelletable thymidine phosphotransferase.

Tritrichomonas foetus: Partly defined cultivation medium for study of the purine and pyrimidine metabolism

A partly defined medium was successfully designed for the cultivation of Tritrichomonas foetus, an anaerobic protozoan parasite of cattle. The medium consists of hypoxanthine, uracil, and thymidine as the sole precursors of nucleotides in T. foetus. Elimination of any one of the three precursors from the medium led to cessation of T. foetus growth. The information provided by this medium verifies our previous observations that T. foetus is incapable of de novo purine and pyrimidine synthesis, that hypoxanthine can be converted to AMP and GMP, that uracil is incorporated into all pyrimidine ribonucleotides including UDP-glucose—the precursor of glycogen synthesis, and that thymidine is the only precursor of TMP. The omission of folate from the medium, without affecting growth of T. foetus, also supports our previous finding that the parasite does not have functioning dihydrofolate reductase or thymidylate synthetase. The successful plating of T. foetus on agar plates incorporating the partly defined medium with near 100% plating efficiency makes it possible to isolate T. foetus mutants for further studies of purine and pyrimidine metabolism in this parasite.

Generation time and growth rate of the human intestinal parasite Blastocystis hominis.

Blastocystis hominis, an anaerobic intestinal protozoan parasite of man, has a generation time (GT) in axenic culture of 8.5-19.4 h. depending on the strain tested. Average GT of the eight strains was 11.7 h. Zero growth time cell counts of 5.0 x 10(5)/ml to 2.0 x 10(6)/ml rose in 3-5 days to 1 x 19(7) cells/ml. The GT was determined for the 24-hr period during which the most rapid growth occurred; about 2% of the B. hominis cells were in division during this time. Division under the culture conditions provided was by binary fission, the usual mode for B. hominis in vitro as well as in vivo. Division times were determined also by direct observation of individual dividing cells in slide cultures. These were usually ca. 40-60 min but sometimes as low as 20 min.