Differences between Brachiola (Nosema) algerae isolates of human and insect origin when tested using an in vitro spore germination assay and a cultured cell infection assay

The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
Zuzana KucerovaGordon J Leitch

Abstract

Brachiola (Nosema) algerae is a microsporidian species generally believed to be an intracellular parasite of insects, especially mosquitoes. However, both mosquito and human isolates have been shown to infect mammalian cells. The present study was undertaken to determine if spores of two insect and two human isolates of B. algerae cultured at 30 degrees C and 37 degrees C differed in their ability to germinate and infect cultured green monkey kidney cells at these two temperatures. Spores from all four isolates exhibited an optimum pH of 9.5 for germination. Mercury (Hg2+) inhibited germination of all isolates equally. Germination of spores from all four isolates was significantly greater when the parasite was cultured at 30 degrees C than when cultured at 37 degrees C. However, spores from the insect isolates cultivated at 30 degrees C or 37 degrees C infected significantly fewer mammalian cells at 37 degrees C than did spores from the human isolates under the same conditions. Thus, there is no correlation between the effects of temperature on the germination and the infectivity of an isolate. In addition, while exposure of B. algerae to 37 degrees C has been reported to cause spore dysmorphism, we failed to observe any consis...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 19, 2010·In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Animal·S Richelle MonaghanLucy E J Lee
Dec 17, 2008·Parasitology·G J Leitch, C Ceballos
Jan 31, 2006·The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology·María HaroNuno Henriques-Gil
Feb 26, 2011·Immunological Reviews·Stefanie Steinert, Elena A Levashina

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
density gradient centrifugation
transmission electron microscopy

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