title: Evolutionary relatedness of Plasmodium species as determined by the structure of DNA.
abstract: Malaria parasites can be grouped evolutionarily by analysis of DNA composition and genome arrangement. Those that vary widely with regard to host range, morphology, and biological characteristics fit into only a small number of distinctive groups. The DNA of the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum fits into a group that includes rodent and avian malarias and is unlike the DNA of other primate malaria parasites. The DNA of Plasmodium vivax, which is also a human parasite, fits into a distinctly different group that includes Plasmodium cynomolgi, a parasite of monkeys. The evolutionary lines suggested here appear to be consistent with similarities seen among malaria parasites with regard to gene sequence.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000032:analysis; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000032:analysis; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D004247:DNA; D003849:Deoxyguanosine