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The cell surface charge of Bodo sp. (Kinetoplastida: Bodonidae)
R C Vommaro1, M Attias, W De Souza
1Laboratóirio de Ultrastructura celular Hertha Meyer, Departamento de Biofísica Celular e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Abstract:
Cytochemistry, using cationized ferritin particles at pH 7.2 and colloidal iron particles at pH 1.8, and cell electrophoresis were used to analyze the surface charge of the protozoan Bodo sp. Surface anionic sites are homogeneously distributed throughout the protozoan surface, including the flagella, the cytostome and the flagellar pocket. Based on treatment of the cells with neuraminidase, trypsin and phospholipase C it was shown that surface exposed sialic acid residues and phosphate groups significantly contribute to the negative surface charge of Bodo sp.
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