IN-VITRO GAMETOCYTE FORMATION IN PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM ISOLATES ORIGINATING FROM A SMALL ENDEMIC MALARIOUS AREA AND THEIR DNA PROFILING WITH AN OLIGOMER PROBE
N. Mehra et Vk. Bhasin, IN-VITRO GAMETOCYTE FORMATION IN PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM ISOLATES ORIGINATING FROM A SMALL ENDEMIC MALARIOUS AREA AND THEIR DNA PROFILING WITH AN OLIGOMER PROBE, Acta protozoologica, 35(2), 1996, pp. 131-136
Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected from a small endemic area of
perennial transmission varied in their ability to form gametocytes in
vitro, an essential determinant in natural transmission of malaria. No
t all the collected isolates got established in continuous cultures. I
n vitro established isolates multiplied better in continuous flow syst
em than in candle jar method. These isolates, in general, show lower r
ate of multiplication and higher sexual ability to form gametocytes th
an the isolates kept in vitro cultivation in non-malarious areas. Clon
al variations within an isolate have been studied with regard to gamet
ocyte production. The clones differed extensively in their ability to
produce gametocytes; six of them could not form gametocytes in vitro.
Genotypic diversity of these isolates and some clones was demonstrated
using radiolabelled synthetic 21-oligomer probe, conspicuous restrict
ion fragment length polymorphism was observed in isolates. However, th
e same probe has been unable to discriminate between phenotypically di
stinct gametocyte forming and non-gametocyte forming clones.