Isoenzyme changes during the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi.

The isoenzyme profiles, for 14 enzymes, of amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes were compared in various cloned and uncloned T. cruzi stocks belonging to different zymodemes. A culture method with a human diploid cell line was developed and produced either pure amastigotes or trypomastigotes in high yields. Trypomastigotes were also isolated from rat blood and from liquid culture. Epimastigotes were harvested from various acellular media and from the overlay of cell monolayers. The isoenzyme patterns of each life-cycle stage showed consistent differences in the number, position and intensity of the electrophoretic bands for certain enzymes. With the single exception of one peptidase, the variable patterns were stage-specific regardless of whether the organisms were harvested from animals or from various cultures at different temperatures.