ISSN:
1550-7408
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Tritrichomonas foetus, Pentatrichomonas gallinarum, and nasal and fecal forms of Trichomonas suis grew well in NIH Thioglycollate Broth with 1% beef serum, and produced acid end-products. Succinic acid was the major acid produced by T. foetus P. gallinarum, and the nasal T. suis, accounting for over 50% of the total acid for each. The fecal T. suis produced more lactic than succinic acid; about 45% of the total acid was not accounted for. Pyruvic acid was found in small amounts in all cultures. The lactic/pyruvic ratio was about 2.5 for the two swine forms, and about 1.0 for the other two. The nasal form of T. suis produced much more total acid than the others.O2 uptake, CO2 production, H2 evolution, and anaerobic acid formation varied with age of organism. Respiratory activity was highest at 12 hours but varied considerably thereafter. The nature of the buffer used in manometric experiments also affected the results.Glucose, mannose, fructose and galactose most stimulated respiration. Disaccharides were slowly utilized (lactose and sucrose were not used by P. gallinarum). In a few cases lactate, pyruvate, formate, and malate stimulated O2 uptake.Evidence was obtained for hexokinase, phosphohexoisomer-ase, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, and glucose-6-phcsphate dehydrogenase in all 4 organisms. Phosphoglucomutase was demonstrated in T. foetus and the fecal T. suis. T. foetus and P. gallinarum showed evidence of phosphoglyceromutase and enolase. T. suis (fecal) and P. gallinarum had malic dehydrogenase, and P. gallinarum gave evidence of “malic enzyme” activity. Formic dehydrogenase activity was marked in all and presumptive evidence for a formic hydrogenlyase system was obtained for T. foetus and P. gallinarum.Study of reactions involving pyruvate and malate (with a possible linkage to a hexose monophosphate shunt) might perhaps provide a key to a better understanding of trichmonad metabolism.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1550-7408.1961.tb01196.x
