Characterization of Sarcocystis species in domestic animals using a PCR-RFLP analysis of variation in the 18S rRNA gene: a cost-effective and simple technique for routine species identification.
Thirteen restriction endonucleases were used to investigate nuclotide sequence variation in the 18S rRNA DNA of 88 individuals from ten Sarcocystis taxa collected as cysts from their intermediate hosts, swine, cattle and water buffalo. A DNA sequence of approximately 900 bp was used. A total of 26 electromorphs were detected. The electromorphs were sorted into seven different haplotypes that coincided with the six named species and an unidentified species from cattle. These findings support those of our morphological examinations, which suggested that the taxa resembling Sarcocystis hirsuta, S. hominis, both found in water buffalo, and S. sinensis found in cattle, are not new species but are in fact S. hirsuta and S. hominis as found in cattle, and S. sinensis as found in water buffalo; this finding supports the idea that these species can utilize both cattle and water buffalo as intermediate hosts and are not restricted to one or the other host group as previously thought. PCR-RFLP resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis is shown to be an easy and rapid method of discriminating between these species.
Yang
Zhao-Qing
ZQ
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Parasitology Department, Kunming Medical College, Biology Department, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Li
Qing-Qing
QQ
Zuo
Yang-Xian
YX
Chen
Xin-Wen
XW
Chen
Yong-Jiu
YJ
Nie
Long
L
Wei
Chang-Gue
CG
Zen
Jia-Shun
JS
Attwood
S W
SW
Zhang
Xue-Zheng
XZ
Zhang
Ya-Ping
YP
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D002020:Buffaloes; D002417:Cattle; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics / Q000662:veterinary*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics*; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine
D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S