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Updated: Sep 29, 2026
Metabolic Glycoengineering of Sialic Acid Using N-acyl-modified Mannosamines
Published on: November 25, 2017
Changes of sialomolecules during the dimethylsulfoxide-induced differentiation of Herpetomonas samuelpessoai
André Luis Souza dos Santos1, Márcio Lourenço Rodrigues, Celuta Sales Alviano
1Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Universidade do Brasil (UFRJ), Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Abstract:
The expression of sialoglycoconjugates during the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-induced differentiation of Herpetomonas samuelpessoai was analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blotting using sialic acid-specific lectins. Parasites reacted strongly with Limax flavus (LFA) and Sambucus nigra (SNA) agglutinins, and only weakly with Maackia amurensis (MAA) lectin. However, analysis of crude protein extracts by Western blotting revealed that bands with molecular masses corresponding to 15 and 40 kDa are recognized by MAA, and that treatment with DMSO induced the expression of two additional polypeptides with molecular masses of 65 and 90 kDa. Profiles of binding to LFA were indistinguishable when protein extracts from control or differentiated cells were analyzed. SNA recognized a major molecule with 25 kDa in extracts from non-differentiated forms and two low-molecular-weight bands from differentiated cells. These results indicate that molecules containing alpha2,6 and alpha2,3 sialyl-galactosyl sequences are present in H. samuelpessoai, and that their biosynthesis and expression are influenced by DMSO-induced differentiation.
