Trypanosoma cruzi culture

The T. cruzi Dm 28c clone [34] and T. cruzi Y strain [35], previously classified as TcI and TcII, respectively [20], were maintained as epimastigote forms at 28 °C in brain heart infusion (BHI) media (Sigma-Aldrich) containing hemin and supplemented with 10 % heat-inactivated bovine foetal serum [13]. For insect infection, the parasites were used in the exponential growth phase. The number of parasites was quantified in a Neubauer chamber using an optical microscope.

Escherichia coli K12 4401 and Staphylococcus aureus 9518 were obtained from the National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria (NCIMB), Aberdeen, UK. Serratia marcescens RPH was previously isolated from R. prolixus and maintained at Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos. All bacteria were kept at−70 °C in tryptone agar and 10 % glycerol.