Electrophoretic characterization of small free-living Amoebae

Disc electrophoresis was employed in an attempt to determine its usefulness as a means of differentiating and classifying some free-living species of amoebae. The Rp values and the percentage of similarity of the protein bands were used as taxonomic criteria. Some species of the genera Hartmanella and Naegleria were examined. The protein patterns of all species studied were highly reproducible. Four strains of Hartmannella castellanii showed an absolute identity to the original H. castellanii strain. One strain isolated by Neff and H. rhysodes were similar to all the other strains although their protein patten were not completely identical. On the other hand, H. culbertsoni, H. astronyxis and H. lammellipodia were different from all the other examined species of Hartmannella. Pathogenic N. fowleri-strains were identical to each other and were different in their protein patterns from non-pathogenic N. gruberi strain. The similarities and differences of protein bands of strains of ameobae and their correlations with other attributes were discussed. The results have shown that the disc electrophoresis appears useful in differentiating between species of Hartmannella and Naegleria.