title: Knowledge of morphology is still required when identifying new amoeba isolates by molecular techniques.
abstract: We have isolated several free-living amoeba strains from the environment in Ghana, which have internal transcribed spacers, including the 5.8S rDNA, sequences similar to sequences attributed to Vahlkampfiidae (Heterolobosea) in databases. However, morphological examination shows that the isolates belong to the Hartmannellidae (Amoebozoa). We provide evidence that the sequences in the databases are wrongly classified as belonging to a genus or species of the Vahlkampfiidae, but rather belong to strains of the genus Hartmannella.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Tropical Diseases, de Duve Institute, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium. johan.dejonckheere@uclouvain.be
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: De Jonckheere
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gryseels
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eddyani
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D005869:Ghana; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S