Evidence for absence of histones in the Crithidia luciliae kinetoplast: a study with anti-H2A and monoclonal anti-H3 antibodies.

Recently, the specificity of the Crithidia luciliae immunofluorescent assay for the detection of antibodies to double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) has been questioned. It has been proposed that the kinetoplast of this trypanosome-like organism contains antigenic determinants other than dsDNA, presumably histones. Using anti-H2A and monoclonal anti-H3 antihistone antibodies, we have proved that there are no histones present in the Crithidia luciliae kinetoplast. False-positive results from the assay may be due to binding of antibodies to unidentified kinetoplast acid-extractable antigens other than histones.