Rights statement: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PAR The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Parasitology, 118 (1), pp 27-32 1999, © 1999 Cambridge University Press.
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
| <mark>Journal publication date</mark> | 01/1999 |
|---|---|
| <mark>Journal</mark> | Parasitology |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Volume | 118 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Pages (from-to) | 27-32 |
| Publication Status | Published |
| <mark>Original language</mark> | English |
Binding to the midgut microvillar surface in the sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi is a prerequisite for successful development of Leishmania major within the gut of the vector. This paper describes a method for detecting microvillar-associated proteins which act as ligands for the parasite surface glycoconjugate lipophosphoglycan (LPG). Adhesion of LPG to midgut proteins was visualized by probing midgut extracts with LPG using a Western ligand blotting technique. Procyclic L. major LPG bound to a microvillar polypeptide band of 65 kDa (estimated in the non-reduced state) and bound variably to several lower molecular weight bands, probably degradation products or subunits of the primary binding polypeptides. Specificity of binding was confirmed by co-incubating biotinylated LPG with an LPG-specific mAb which resulted in a great reduction in binding.