[Significance of enzymatic polymorphism in Leishmaniae--On three heterozygous stocks of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908, Leishmania cf. tarentolae Wenyon, 1921 and Leishmania aethiopica Bray, Ashford and Bray, 1973 (author's transl)].

The analysis of 8 isoenzymes (PGM, PGI, G-6-PDH, 6-PGDH, IDH, MDH, ME, GOT)of 49 stocks of leishmaniae [35 of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908, 10 of Leishmania cf. tarentolae Wenyon, 1921, 2 of Leishmania tropica (Wright, 1903) and 2 of Leishmania aethiopica Bray, Ashford and Bray, 1973] revealed heterozygous structures in three stocks. These structures were expressed by two (PGM) or three (PGI, 6-PGDH) spots on the electrophoretic gels. Two stocks were heterozygous for PGI alone [one of L. infantum from a dog in the Cévennes, France; one of presumed Leishmania tarentolae from Sergentomyia minuta (Rondani, 1843) from P. O., France] and one was heterozygous for PGI, PGM and 6-PGDH (L. aethiopica from man in Ethiopia). The results are comparable to those seen in eukaryotic organism with sexual reproduction and suggest that leishmaniae have diploid structures and a process of genetic exchange.