IDENTIFICATION OF CARBOHYDRATES ON THE SURFACE-MEMBRANE OF PATHOGENICAND NONPATHOGENIC PISCINE HEMOFLAGELLATES, CRYPTOBIA-SALMOSITICA, CRYPTOBIA-BULLOCKI AND CRYPTOBIA-CATOSTOMI (KINETOPLASTIDA)

Carbohydrates and protein glycoconjugates on the cell membranes of Cry ptobia salmositica, C. bullocki and C. catostomi were analyzed using 1 3 highly purified lectins (unlabelled or digoxigenin/biotin labelled). No agglutinations were observed with C. salmositica, C. bullocki and C. catostomi using lectin TPA (Tetragonolobus prupureas agglutinin, fo r alpha-L-fucose). C. salmositica was agglutinated by 3 of 12 lectins [Con A, for alpha-man and alpha-D-glc; PSA, for alpha-man; PWM, for (g lcNAc)3], while C. bullocki was agglutinated by 8 lectins and C. catos tomi was agglutinated by 10 lectins. Glycoconjugate analysis with digo xigenin or biotin labelled lectins showed a species-specific staining pattern in pathogenic and nonpathogenic Cryptobia spp. The nonpathogen ic C. catostomi had the strongest reaction. These results indicate tha t the surface carbohydrate residues and glycoconjugate compositions on Cryptobia spp. are different between species; they may be related to the virulence of the parasite.