Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria species transmitted by Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis.
The phylogenetic relationships between six isolates of Theileria spp. infective to small ruminants, and two isolates of Theileria spp. infective to yak, all transmitted by Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis, together with the Theileria orientalis/sergenti/buffeli group and T. sinensis, were analyzed using the 18S ssrRNA gene sequence. The target DNA segment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR product was used either for direct sequencing or was ligated to the PCR II vector for sequencing. The length of the 18S ssrRNA gene of all Theileria spp. involved in this study was around 1,740 bp. Two phylogenetic trees were inferred based on the 18S ssrRNA gene sequence of the Chinese isolates only, and Chinese isolates and other species of Theileria available in GenBank. In the first tree, the Theileria sp. infective to yaks was found to be T. sinensis. The Theileria sp. infective to small ruminants was found to be composed of two separate species of Theileria. Theileria sp. from Qinghai, Madang, Ningxian and Lintan, which was identical to the unidentified Theileria sp. described previously, is designated Theileria sp (China 1). The Theileria sp. from Longde, Zhangjiachuan and Lintan, which has not been described previously, is designated Theileria sp. (China 2) in order to avoid confusion. In the second tree, Theileria sp. (China 1) was closely related to benign Theileria, such as T. buffeli and T. sergenti, while Theileria sp. (China 2) was separated from other Theileria spp. The results indicate that H. qinghaiensis transmit at least three species of Theileria, two which are infective to sheep and goats, but not yak and one which is infective to yaks and cattle, but not to sheep and goats.
Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 11, Lanzhou, 730046 Gansu, The People's Republic of China. yinhong@public.lz.gs.cn
Hong
H
Yin
Jianxun
J
Luo
Leonhard
L
Schnittger
Bingyi
B
Lu
Doreen
D
Beyer
Miling
M
Ma
Guiquan
G
Guan
Qi
Q
Bai
Chengping
C
Lu
Jabbar
J
Ahmed
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D006041:Goats; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012418:Ruminants / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D016794:Theileria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S