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Onchocerca fasciata: histochemical demonstration of succinate and NADH dehydrogenase

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2009

M.S. Omar  and
A.M.S. Raoof
M.S. Omar
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Microbiology and ParasitologyCollege of Medicine, King Saud University, PO Box 641, Abha, Saudi Arabia
A.M.S. Raoof
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, PO Box 641, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract

The activities of selected enzymes of the respiratory chain system in Onchocerca fasciata (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae) have been investigated histochemically. Thus, the localization and distributions of NADH dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.99.3), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) (EC 1.3.99.1) and cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) were investigated in various tissues of the adult female worm by employing MTT, Nitro BT (dehydrogenases) and DAB (cytochrome oxidase). Different tissues varied considerably in their enzymatic activities. The hypodermis and reproductive tissues showed strong and identical localization of NADH and SDH dehydrogenase activities reflecting high metabolic rates. Little or no dehydrogenase activities were observed in the intestine and cuticle. In contrast to the two dehyrogenases, no activity was observed for cytochrome oxidase in any of the tissues in adult or embryonic stages of the worm. The significance of these results with respect to the energy metabolism of the worm is discussed. It is suggested that O. fasciata lacks a classical, mammalian-type respiratory pathway and that oxidative phosphorylation is of no importance as an energy generating pathway in this essentially anaerobic parasite.

Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 70 , Issue 1 , March 1996 , pp. 47 - 51
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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