title: Single-strand conformation polymorphism-based analysis reveals genetic variation within Spirometra erinacei (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from Australia.
abstract: This study examined genetic variability within Spirometra erinacei (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from different host species and geographical origins in Australia using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based mutation detection approach, followed by DNA sequencing. Part of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (p cox 1) was amplified by PCR, scanned for sequence variation by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and representative samples from different host species were selected for DNA sequencing. While no variation in SSCP profiles was detected among S. erinacei samples from dog, fox, cat, tiger snake and python, they differed in profile from 5 specimens from the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea). This was supported by sequence data which demonstrated that p cox 1 sequences of samples from the latter host species differed at 8 of 393 (2%) nucleotide positions from those from the non-amphibian host. Using a nucleotide difference in the p cox 1 sequence, a PCR-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) could be employed to unequivocally delineate between samples from non-amphibian and amphibian hosts. These findings demonstrate the existence of at least two genotypes within S. erinacei, which may have important implications for studying the epidemiology, ecology and systematics of this cestode.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beveridge
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gasser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001483:Base Sequence; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013031:Sparganosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D013032:Sparganum / Q000235:genetics; D013146:Spirometra / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV