STRIATED FIBERS IN TRICHOMONADS - COSTA PROTEINS REPRESENT A NEW CLASS OF PROTEINS FORMING STRIATED ROOTS

The production of monoclonal antibodies and the use of biochemical tec hniques revealed that B-type costa proteins in trichomonads are compos ed of several major polypeptides with molecular weight detected betwee n 100 and 135 kDa similar to those found in the A-type costae. Althoug h differences were observed between the two types in their fine struct ure, we tested whether proteins composing the two costa types belong t o the same protein family. A polyclonal antibody produced against the 118 kDa costa protein of Trichomonas vaginalis also recognized a 118 k Da costa protein in all other trichomonad genera studied so far whethe r they have A- or B-type costae. Moreover biochemical characteristics of costa proteins indicated that these proteins might represent a nove l class of striated root-forming proteins in addition to centrin, giar din, and assemblin. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.