title: Partial sequence of the alpha-tubulin gene from Histomonas meleagridis isolates from the United States.
abstract: Histomonas meleagridis , the causative agent of histomoniasis, is a protozoan parasite classified in the Dientamoebidae (order Tritrichomonadida). The α-tubulin gene of 7 H. meleagridis isolates originating from either domestic chickens or turkeys from the United States was amplified by nested PCR and sequenced. A 91.4-99.8% nucleotide identity was shared among the 7 different sequences, and phylogenetic analysis disclosed that the 7 isolates were divided into at least 3 clades. These sequences had a 91-99% nucleotide identity and a 96-100% amino acid identity compared with 3 H. meleagridis α-tubulin sequences obtained from isolates originating from turkeys in Germany. Further α-tubulin gene analysis from species in the Dientamoebidae will be useful in elucidating the evolutionary relationship of these protozoans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. rgerhold@uga.edu
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Gerhold
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lollis
authors.forename: Larry R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: McDougald
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Beckstead
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D016834:Trichomonadida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics*; D014422:Turkeys / Q000469:parasitology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D014404:Tubulin