New evolutionary lineages, unexpected diversity, and host specificity in the parabasalid genus Tetratrichomonas.
We studied morphological and molecular polymorphism of 53 Tetratrichomonas isolates obtained from amphibian, reptilian, mammalian hosts, and from a slug with the aid of protargol staining and analyses of ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2, SSU rRNA, and alpha-tubulin gene sequences. The phylogenetic tree based on the concatenate of all sequences showed the monophyly of the genus Tetratrichomonas with respect to the genus Trichomonas. Our data suggest that two parabasalid genera, Pentatrichomonoides and Trichomonoides, may belong to the genus Tetratrichomonas. Tetratrichomonas isolates were divided into 16 robust host-specific and monophyletic groups that probably represent separate, mostly new, species. As only five Tetratrichomonas species were described from the examined host taxa so far, our study uncovered considerable species diversity within the genus. The wide host range, high level of species-specific host specificity, and newly revealed biodiversity make the genus Tetratrichomonas a valuable model for studying evolution of parasites.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. ivan.cepicka@centrum.cz
Ivan
I
Cepicka
Vladimír
V
Hampl
Jaroslav
J
Kulda
Jaroslav
J
Flegr
D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013552:Swine / Q000469:parasitology; D016834:Trichomonadida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S