oligomycins and Trypanosomiasis--African

We report the differential expression of the oligomycin-sensitive mitochondrial ATPase in pleomorphic bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei as observed with enzymatic assays and electron microscope histochemistry. As the cells differentiate from long slender to short stumpy forms, total specific activity of the mitochondrial ATPase in a crude mitochondrial fraction doubles and the oligomycin-sensitive specific activity increases 5-fold. Upon in vitro differentiation to procyclic forms, there is a further doubling of total specific activity and a further tripling of oligomycin-sensitive specific activity. The oligomycin-insensitive ATPase activity remained essentially constant throughout differentiation. We have attempted to characterize this oligomycin-insensitive activity utilizing inhibitors of several other ATPases.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Animals; Female; Histocytochemistry; Microscopy, Electron; Mitochondria; Oligomycins; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Trypanosomiasis, African