Sialoglycolipids in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Mild oxidation of epimastigote forms of T.cruzi followed by sodium borotritide reduction incorporates radioactivity into glycolipid fractions. Column chromatography on silica gel of the chloroform:methanol (2:1) extract separated two main peaks of radioactivity. Treatment with neuraminidase released 30% and 18% of the radioactivity, respectively. Paper chromatography showed peaks of radioactivity with relative migration to NANA7 of 1.33 in fraction A and 1.33 and 1.51 in fraction B. When unlabeled cells were submitted to a Folch extraction, thin layer chromatography of the upper phase showed at least two components detected with the resorcinol-copper reagent. Enzymatic and mild acid hydrolysis released a sialic acid with a migration relative to NANA of 1.22. These results suggest that a substituted sialic acid is present in glycolipids of the epimastigote form of T.cruzi.