Effect of Trypanocidal Drugs on the Replication and Function of Kinetoplast (Mitochondrial) DNA in Trypanosomes.

摘要

The purpose of the studies has been to determine the effects of trypanocidal drugs on the function of trypanosomes. The authors have also been interested in determining the mode of action of trypanocidal drugs. The authors approach to resolving this problem includes investigating various enzymes in host and trypanosomes, studying the effects of trypanocidal drugs on enzyme systems isolated from trypanosomes and studying the structure and transciption ability of purified kinetoplast DNA. The authors are interested in determining the reason for the unique selective toxicity of known trypanocidal drugs. The authors primary results during this last year are: a. Determined optimal conditions for measuring DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in bloodstream and procyclic trypomastigotes; b. Observed that under optimal conditions, berenil does inhibit RNA synthesis in trypanosomes and increase the rate of degradation of RNA; c. Characterize Leptomonas sp. k-DNA and developed techniques appropriate for T. brucei; d. Maintained T. brucei for several days at 25 C; e. Initiated cultures of T. brucei infective bloodstream trypomastigotes on Buffalo lung cells and Chinese hamster lung cells; f. Identified the electron transport systems present in T. rhodesiense (15); g. Demonstrated suramin and five other drugs inhibit the L-Beta glycerophosphate oxidase (15). (Author)