title: A DNA probe specific to pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica.
abstract: A DNA sequence, IE-gen1 (3.1 kb), was isolated from the pathogenic strain of E. histolytica NIH-200. IE-gen1 was identified by the subtractive hybridization of a genomic library to a cDNA probe prepared from NIH-200 trophozoites. The IE-gen1 probe specifically detected pathogenic E. histolytica in slot blots of genomic DNA and Northern blots, but not other Entamoeba species and additional human parasites. This genomic probe could detect with complete specificity DNA from about 10(3) organisms. The IE-gen1 probe could be related to highly specialized loci in pathogenic E. histolytica, and is likely to be a valuable DNA reagent for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cruz-Reyes
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ackers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D004747:Entamoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015723:Gene Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013045:Species Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016054:DNA, Protozoan