Whole-genome amplification: a useful approach to characterize new genes in unculturable protozoan parasites such as Bonamia exitiosa.
Bonamia exitiosa is an intracellular parasite (Haplosporidia) that has been associated with mass mortalities in oyster populations in the Southern hemisphere. This parasite was recently detected in the Northern hemisphere including Europe. Some representatives of the Bonamia genus have not been well categorized yet due to the lack of genomic information. In the present work, we have applied Whole-Genome Amplification (WGA) technique in order to characterize the actin gene in the unculturable protozoan B. exitiosa. This is the first protein coding gene described in this species. Molecular analysis revealed that B. exitiosa actin is more similar to Bonamia ostreae actin gene-1. Actin phylogeny placed the Bonamia sp. infected oysters in the same clade where the herein described B. exitiosa actin resolved, offering novel information about the classification of the genus. Our results showed that WGA methodology is a promising and valuable technique to be applied to unculturable protozoans whose genomic material is limited.
Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins,IFREMER,Avenue de Mus de Loup,17390 La Tremblade,France.
Maria
M
Prado-Alvarez
Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins,IFREMER,Avenue de Mus de Loup,17390 La Tremblade,France.
Yann
Y
Couraleau
Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins,IFREMER,Avenue de Mus de Loup,17390 La Tremblade,France.
Bruno
B
Chollet
Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins,IFREMER,Avenue de Mus de Loup,17390 La Tremblade,France.
Delphine
D
Tourbiez
Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins,IFREMER,Avenue de Mus de Loup,17390 La Tremblade,France.
Isabelle
I
Arzul
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D018503:Genome, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D041602:Haplosporida / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
D000199:Actins; D016054:DNA, Protozoan
Bonamia exitiosa; Bonamia ostreae; Haplosporidia; Whole-Genome Amplification; actin