GELATINASE ACTIVITY OF EXOANTIGENS FROM VIRULENT AND NONVIRULENT ISOLATES OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS

Differences in the occurrence of components with gelatinase activity w ere detected among four isolates of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: Pb3 39 and Pb18 (highly virulent), and Pb265 and Pb18AV (very low virulenc e). Culture filtrates from these isolates were electrophoresed in subs trate gels and tested for gelatinase activity. Pb339 showed three enzy me bands of apparent molecular masses: 43, 53 and 78 kDa; Pb18 had two bands, one at 59 kDa and another with molecular mass higher than 78 k Da. Isolate Pb18AV showed only one band at 78 kDa and Pb265 exhibited a component of molecular mass which failed to enter the separating gel .