Crithidia luciliae
| Crithidia luciliae[1] | |
|---|---|
| |
| Immunofluorescence staining pattern of anti-dsDNA antibodies on C. luciliae substrate. The kinetoplast, located near the flagellum, is stained, indicating the presence of anti-dsDNA antibodies in a person with SLE. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| (unranked): | |
| Phylum: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | Trypanosomatidae |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | C. luciliae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Crithidia luciliae | |
Crithidia luciliae is a flagellate parasite that uses the housefly,
Taxonomy
C. luciliae is a eukaryotic single-cell protozoan. The family
Role in systemic lupus erythematosus diagnosis
The kinetoplast found in C. luciliae allows them to be used for the detection of anti-dsDNA antibodies, a type of
Purine nucleotide and nucleobase uptake
As a parasitic protozoan, C. luciliae lacks the ability to biosynthetically produce purine bases and therefore needs to salvage them from the surrounding environment. Three transport systems are used for the uptake of bases from the host organism: one for the uptake of adenosine and its analogues; one for guanosine, its analogues and inosine; and one for hypoxanthine, adenine and adenosine.[9]