title: Phylogenetic characterization of Encephalitozoon romaleae (Microsporidia) from a grasshopper host: relationship to Encephalitozoon spp. infecting humans.
abstract: Encephalitozoon species are the most common microsporidian pathogens of humans and domesticated animals. We recently discovered a new microsporidium, Encephalitozoon romaleae, infecting the eastern lubber grasshopper Romalea microptera. To understand its evolutionary relationships, we compared partial gene sequences of alpha- and beta-tubulin and methionine aminopeptidase 2 enzyme from this and related species. We also analyzed the rRNA internal transcribed spacer. Based on tubulin and MetAP-2 gene phylogenetic analysis, E. romaleae clustered with the Encephalitzoon group with strong bootstrap support (>99%). Within the Encephalitozoon clade, E. romaleae clustered with Encephalitozoon hellem for both the beta-tubulin and MetAP-2 phylogenies based on ML tree. The alpha-tubulin based ML tree, however, placed the new microsporidium closer to Encephalitozoon cuniculi. The rRNA internal transcribed spacer region of E. romaleae has 91% homology with E. hellem.
authors.affiliation: Illinois State University, 4120 Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA.
authors.forename: Shajahan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johny
authors.forename: Troy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Leellen F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Solter
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Douglas W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Whitman
mesh_terms: D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D016819:Encephalitozoon / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D014404:Tubulin; D000626:Aminopeptidases; C106541:methionine aminopeptidase 2; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases