Characterization ofMegatrypanumtrypanosomes from European Cervidae

Abstract

SummaryMegatrypanumtrypanosomes have been isolated from a number of different European Cervidae, but on the basis of morphology it has not been possible to define the species to which these isolates belong. We isolatedTrypanosoma (Megatrypanum) theilerifrom 10 cattle, andMegatrypanumtrypanosomes from 11 fallow deer (Cervus dama), 9 red deer (Cervus elaphus), and 4 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by blood culture on a biphasic medium (NNN agar slopes). Trypanosomes were propagated in Schneider's Drosophila medium and characterized by isoenzyme analysis and molecular karyotyping. Isocitrate dehydrogenase and phosphoglucomutase were visualized after starch gel electrophoresis of trypanosome lysates. By cluster analysis of this data all isolates from deer were clearly separated from theT. (M.) theileriisolates from cattle. Isolates from roe deer were different not only fromT. (M.) theileribut also from the other deer isolates. Isolates from fallow deer and red deer were grouped together. Thus, there are probably at least two different species ofMegatrypanumtrypanosomes in the three Cervidae. One parasitizing roe deer, the other, apparently less host specific species, infecting red deer and fallow deer. Separation of the chromosomes ofMegatrypanumtrypanosomes by pulsed-field gradient gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed that each isolate contained a large number (> 18) of chromosomes ranging in size from 300 to > 2200 kb. The molecular karyotypes were similar for all isolates, although no isolate was identical to another.