We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA clone coding for a metacyclic trypomastigote-specific surface glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 82 kDa (MTS-gp82). By immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation, antibodies against the recombinant protein recognized an 82-kDa protein of metacyclic trypomastigotes, without any detectable reaction towards amastigotes, epimastigotes or tissue culture-derived trypomastigotes. The insert of the MTS-gp82 cDNA clone strongly hybridized with a single 2.2-kb metacyclic trypomastigote mRNA, suggesting that the steady-state levels of mRNAs for MTS-gp82 are developmentally regulated. MTS-gp82 is encoded by a multigene family whose members are distributed in several chromosomes. Sequence analysis revealed 40-56% identity at amino acid level between MTS-gp82 and members of Trypanosoma cruzi gp85/sialidase family (TSA-1, Tt34c1, SA85-1.1). MTS-gp82 showed several amino acid motifs that are characteristic of gp85/sialidase family, such as the Asp box (SxDxGxTW), the subterminal (VTVxNVFLYNR) motif and the putative GPI-anchor sequence. On the basis of its structural features, the MTS-gp82 gene could be included in the T. cruzi gp85/sialidase family, but constituting a distinct group which is preferentially expressed in metacyclic trypomastigotes.