Cell-to-cell interactions suggesting a sexual process in Herpetomonas megaseliae (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae)

摘要: Giemsa-stained smears ofHerpetomonas megaseliae cultures in LIT medium displayed on several occasions not only the typically dividing promastigotes but also pairs of apposed parasites attached by their posterior ends, where a cellular enlargement and ring-like border generally occurred; other formed an clongated promastigote bell-shaped cell were found. In both cases, either each joined cells could have its own nucleus or one them was anucleate presented two nuclei that sometimes so close they appeared to be single nucleus. These findings, along with others seeming intermediate steps between them, strongly suggested sexual process, involving parasite union followed nuclear migration from then fusion, taking place such cultures.