Isolation of Plasmodium berghei by hemolysin lysis of infected erythrocytes and evidence for a parasite hexokinase.

A rapid and simple procedure has been developed for the isolation of Plasmodium berghei parasites from infected-mouse erythrocytes employing the heat stable hemolysin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using parasites isolated by this method, the presence of a parasite specific hexokinase has been demonstrated, providing an explanation for the increased glucose consumption observed with infected cells. Enzyme assays and serology were employed in determining the purity and yield of purified parasites. The enzyme assays showed that about 25% of the parasites in infected RBCs were recovered in the purified state. The purified parasites were not agglutinated by rabbit-anti-mouse RBC serum which indicated the purified parasites were not contaminated by RBC components.