Fractionation and antigenic characterization of organelles of Eimeria tenella sporozoites.

Sporozoites of Eimeria tenella were disrupted by sonication and subcellular fractions were separated by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Fractions from gradients were characterized by electron microscopical appearance and their polypeptide and antigenic profiles determined by PAGE and Western blotting with antisera to sporozoites and 1st- and 2nd-generation merozoites. Fractions containing micronemes, rhoptries or membranes showed markedly different polypeptide content and antigenic reactivity. Microneme epitopes were strongly conserved between sporozoites and 2nd-generation merozoites whereas the majority of rhoptry epitopes and many membrane epitopes were sporozoite specific. The only polypeptide of sporozoites which was strongly recognized by antisera raised to 1st generation merozoites was a microneme antigen of molecular weight approximately 100 kDa.