title: Genetic diversity of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the major cause of eosinophilic meningitis.
abstract: Various aspects of the genetics of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, are reviewed. This nematode has an XX/XO sex-determination mechanism, with the female having a 2n = 12 (XX) and the male 2n = 11 (XO) chromosome constitution. Allozymes (12 loci) exhibit a low proportion of polymorphic loci (P = .08) and low mean heterozygosity (H = 0.43) in specimens from Hawa'i, and no polymorphism or heterozygosity in specimens from Thailand. The phosphoglucomutase-2 (PGM-2) locus exhibits sex-limited expression, with no detectable enzyme activity in the male worms from either location. Based on the 12 allozyme loci, Nei's genetic distance between the Hawa'i and Thailand isolates is D = 0.03. The p-distance (proportion of nucleotide sites) based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) is 3.61% between the Thailand and China isolates as well as between Thailand and Hawa'i isolates, and 0.83% between China and Hawa'i isolates. The partial DNA sequences of the 66 kDa protein gene show a great diversity of haplotypes, indicating both inter- and intra-population variation. Intra-specific sequence variation is also found in the internal transcribed spacer regions. For the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, two distinct genotypes have been recorded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. praphathip.eam@mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Praphathip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eamsobhana
authors.forename: Phaik Eem
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Hoi Sen
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yong
mesh_terms: D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006254:Hawaii; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: C588370:66 KDa protein, Angiostrongylus cantonensis; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Allozymes; Angiostrongylus cantonensis; Chromosome number; Emerging infectious disease; Eosinophilic meningitis; Genetics; Parasitology; Rat lungworm disease
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