Cysteine eliminates the feeder cell requirement for cultivation of <em>Trypanosoma brucei</em> bloodstream forms in vitro

In all previous studies, bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei could be grown in vitro only when supported by a feeder layer of mammalian fibroblasts. We have axenically cultivated bloodstream T. brucei by adding L-cysteine at regular intervals and appropriate concentrations. The optimum cysteine concentration depends on cell density and is close to physiological serum levels. At concentrations &gt;24mg/liter (2 x 10(-4) M), cysteine was acutely toxic to trypanosome concentrations of 3 x 10(7)/ml. Toxicity was prevented by addition of pyruvate or catalase, which neutralize H2O2 produced by cysteine autoxidation. In uptake studies using [35S]cysteine and [35S]cystine, T. brucei efficiently incorporated only cysteine. The K(m) for cysteine uptake was 4 x 10(-4) M. Cystine supported axenic growth if low concentrations of 2-mercaptoethanol were added at regular intervals.