Carbohydrate selleck utilization Growth was compared on different media. Carbon sources were Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries added to Minimal Media agarose at the following concentrations 1% for cellulose, soluble starch, citrus pectin and birchwood xylan and 25 mM for D glucose, D fructose, D xylose, cellobiose, sucrose and L arabinose. The pH of the med Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries ium was adjusted to 6. 0 and the medium was autoclaved at 121 C for 20 minutes. CaCl2, MgSO4, and monosac charides were autoclaved separately from the rest of the medium and FeSO4 was sterile filtered. All of these com ponents were added to the autoclaved medium before it solidified. The growth of P. ultimum DAOM BR144 was compared on the different media mentioned above. Minimal Media without a carbon source was used as the negative control in this experiment.

The strain was initially grown on Potato Carrot Agar. A small agar plug containing mycelium was transferred from the edge of a vigorously growing 1 day old colony to the center of the Petri dishes with the different media. The cultures were incubated in the dark at 21 C. Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries Mycelium density and colony diameter were measured daily for the first 5 days and again after 7 days. Colony morphology pictures were taken, and pH was measured after 7 days. The growth test was con ducted twice for each strain. Background Blastocystis sp. is one of the most frequent unicellular eukaryotes found in the intestinal tract of humans and various animals. This anaerobic parasite was first described by Alexeieff at the beginning of the 20th century. For a long time, the taxonomy of Blastocystis was controversial.

Despite the application of molecular phylogenetic approaches, it was only recently that Blastocystis sp. was unambiguously classified within the stramenopiles. Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries This eukaryotic major lineage, also called Heterokonta, encompasses very diverse organisms such as slime nets, diatoms, water moulds and brown algae. One important characteristic of strame nopiles is the presence during the life cycle of a stage with at least one flagellum permitting motility. It is important to note that Blastocystis sp. does not possess any flagellum and is the only stramenopile known to cause infections in humans. For the organism isolated from human fecal material, Brumpt suggested the name Blastocystis hominis. However, as the species B. hominis is difficult to establish, we use the term Blastocystis sp.

to designate any subtype observed in humans. Blastocystis sp. is the most frequent protozoa reported in human fecal Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries samples, with a worldwide distribution and a prevalence ranging between 30 and 60% in some developing countries. clearly In addition, infection with Blastocystis sp. appears to be common and more severe in immunocompromised or hemophilic patients. The presence of Blastocystis represen tatives has also been reported in a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even insects. Blastocystis sp.