title: Phylogenetic comparison of Leucocytozoon spp. from wild birds of Japan.
abstract: Eight species of Japanese birds were found to be infected with Leucocytozoon species using microscopic analysis. We used PCR and sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) to compare the genetic background among these detected protozoa species. In 20 individuals of 22 samples, a single amplified band was detected from 6 of 8 bird species; 9 Japanese rock ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus), 4 large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos), 2 carrion crows (C. corone), 2 scops owls (Otus scops), 1 Japanese grosbeak (Eophona personata), and 2 brown-eared bulbuls (Hypsipetes amaurotis), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial cyt b sequences revealed that all Leucocytozoon isolates in Japan closely grouped with other Leucocytozoon species previously reported in the literature. Among the Japanese isolates, the phylogenetic tree suggested that L. lovati from the Japanese rock ptarmigan may be basal to the parasites found in other bird species. Our study is the first to identify the molecular relationships among Leucocytozoon parasites in the avifauna of Japan.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukita
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagihara
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yukawa
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D016787:Haemosporida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D007564:Japan; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D045303:Cytochromes b