Studies on the metabolism of the protozoa. 7. Comparative carbohydrate metabolism of eleven species of trypanosome

Abstract

T. rhodesiense, T. gambiense, T. brucei, T. evansi, T. equinum and T. equiperdum degrade glucose to a mixture of pyruvic acid and glycerol; glycerol production is favored by anaerobic conditions. The R.Q. is small, usually less than 0.10. T. cruzi and T. lewisi convert glucose into a mixture of lactic, acetic and succinic acids; T. congolense and T. vivax produce glycerol, acetic acid and succinic or lactic and pyruvic acids; and Stringomonas oncopelti forms glycerol, ethanol, pyruvic and succinic acids. In all cases the R.Q. is high, about unity. The respiration of T. cruzi, T. lewisi and S. oncopelti is very sensitive to cyanide, that of T. congolense is slightly sensitive, and the respiration of T. vivax and T. rhodesiense in insensitive to the inhibitor; cytochrome pigments were detected in T. cruzi, T. lewisi and S. oncopelti. but not in T. congolense, T. rhodesiense or T. equiper-dum. Homogenates of T. cruzi, T. lewsi, S. oncopelti, T. congolense, T. vivax and T. rhodesiense were examined for cytochrome and succinic-oxidase activity; such activity was found in all preparations to a varying extent.