Ultrastructural localization of diaminobenzidine reactivity in leishmania donovani promastigotes.

The ultrastructural localization of the activities of two enzyme systems in the culture forms of Leishmania donovani was shown by means of the diaminobenzidine techniques. The consistent deposition of electron dense reaction product of DAB oxidation without H2O2 in the kinetoplast and mitochondrial cristae and membranes was taken as evidence of the presence of cytochrome oxidase activity and cytochrome c. In the presence of H2O2, a more intense DAB oxidation was attributed to the activity of a peroxidase, possibly cytochrome c peroxidase. Mitochondrial and kinetoplast reactions to DAB were completely inhibited by KCN, methanol-nitroprusside, and by heating to 50 degrees C for 10 min. On the other hand, no inhibitory effect was observed with 100 mM 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. Under all conditions of incubation tested, the microbodies were completely unreactive to DAB staining, which was utilized as the basis for their identification. These organelles are rounded, moderately electron-opaque bodies with a finely granular matrix and fine tubules or cores and are limited by a single membrane. Under normal staining method, the microbodies were indistinguishable from the rounded sections of mitochondria.