The infective behavior of a mutant Trypanosoma cruzi clone, carrying a targeted deletion of the gp72 gene, was studied in the insect vector Triatoma infestans and in mice. After feeding T. infestans with complement-resistant forms (CRF) of Ynull and wild-type clones, it was observed that the number of parasites released in the bug's feces was reduced to less than 1% in the mutant clone. Both gp72-null and wild-type clones had a low infectivity for mice in comparison with other T. cruzi isolates, probably as a consequence of prolonged in vitro culture. Therefore, the behavior of both clones was tested in highly susceptible BALB suckling mice and immunodeficient athymic mice. After infecting the animals with 105 CRF, wild-type parasites could be detected in fresh blood mounts of most mice, but mutants were never found by this method. However, in 4 of 22 hemocultures from 11 athymic mice, gp72-null epimastigotes carrying the mutant phenotype were reisolated by day 29 of infection. Serological and polymerase chain reaction determinations performed on the blood of animals inoculated with the mutants indicated the possibility of temporary infections, which were extinguished after 90 days. The intact GP72 gene seems essential for sustaining latent infections in immunocompetent animals.
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June 2002
Research Article|
June 01 2002
TARGETED DELETION OF THE GP72 GENE DECREASES THE INFECTIVITY OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI FOR MICE AND INSECT VECTORS
Miguel A. Basombrío
;
Miguel A. Basombrío
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
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Laura Gómez
;
Laura Gómez
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
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Angel M. Padilla
;
Angel M. Padilla
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
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Mirella Ciaccio
;
Mirella Ciaccio
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
* Instituto di Biologia dello Sviluppo, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
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Tomoyoshi Nozaki
;
Tomoyoshi Nozaki
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
† Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, New York 10021
‡ Present address: Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
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George A. M. Cross
George A. M. Cross
Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, 4400 Salta, Argentina. basombri@ciunsa.edu.ar
† Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, New York 10021
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J Parasitol (2002) 88 (3): 489–493.
Citation
Miguel A. Basombrío, Laura Gómez, Angel M. Padilla, Mirella Ciaccio, Tomoyoshi Nozaki, George A. M. Cross; TARGETED DELETION OF THE GP72 GENE DECREASES THE INFECTIVITY OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI FOR MICE AND INSECT VECTORS. J Parasitol 1 June 2002; 88 (3): 489–493. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/0022-3395(2002)088[0489:TDOTGG]2.0.CO;2
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