Two-dimensional electrophoretic separation and fluorographic analysis of the gene products synthesized by Hymenolepis diminuta with particular reference to the parasite-specific polypeptides in the brush border membrane.

This study is the first demonstration of individual gene products synthesized by Hymenolepis diminuta. To identify proteins synthesized specifically by H. diminuta, we radiolabeled adult worms with [14C]leucine in vitro. Subsequent one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoretic separation and staining of the protein constituents from lysates of whole worms, brush border denuded worms, and brush border fractions extracted from whole worms demonstrates the diversity of the proteins in each of these lysates. Fluorographic analysis of the radioactivity in the same polyacrylamide gels identified the protein constituents synthesized by H. diminuta. The results from this study disclose and characterize, by molecular weight and isoelectric point, 17 polypeptides which are synthesized by H. diminuta and associated with its surface brush border.