Genetic structure of a morphological species within the amoeba genus Korotnevella (Amoebozoa: Discosea), revealed by the analysis of two genes.
Amoebae of the genus Korotnevella are covered with scales, the structure of which is believed to be species-specific and allows distinguishing species reliably at the morphological level. We studied members of this genus in order to assess the genetic structure of the local populations of amoebae. For the present study we isolated nine freshwater strains of Korotnevella, belonging to three species, from two locations in North-Western Russia. In order to obtain data on the population structure of these amoebae, we identified all isolates based on the light-microscopic morphology and scale structure and investigated both inter-strain and intra-strain polymorphism of Cox I and 18S rRNA genes. Results show that both genes provide congruent patterns of population structure. The Cox I gene appears to be more reliable DNA barcode while the 18S rRNA gene shows an interesting pattern of polymorphism, which may represent phylotypes of amoebae. Local population of amoebae in every studied species consists of a number of genetic lineages (phylotypes), some shared between the populations while others are unique to a local habitat.
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia. Electronic address: v.zlatogursky@gmail.com.
Vasily V
VV
Zlatogursky
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Alexander
A
Kudryavtsev
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Ilya A
IA
Udalov
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Natalya
N
Bondarenko
Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Sciences III, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
Jan
J
Pawlowski
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Alexey
A
Smirnov
D056894:Amoebozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics*; D017753:Ecosystem; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012426:Russia
D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
Amoebae; Cox I; Korotnevella; Phylogeny; Small-subunit rRNA; Species structure