In situ microfluorometry of kinetoplast and nuclear DNAs in Trypanosoma gambiense. Unusual repairment of DNA after treatment with bleomycin.

The blood stream form of Trypanosoma gambiense was smeared on a nonfluorescent slide glass with 1 microgram/ml of Hoechst 33258 in 1 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.2) containing 1% 2-mercaptoethanol and subjected to the in situ microfluorometry. Effects of bleomycin (BL) on the kinetoplast (K)-DNA and nuclear (N)-DNA of T. gambiense were examined in the time course to 6 h after injection of BL into the infected mice. An enhancement of fluorescence occurred 30 min after the injection and then slowed down. This enhancement was due to DNA synthesis both in the K-DNA and N-DNA. This suggests that the strong repairment occurs in both DNAs after treatment with BL.