Abstract
Phylogenies within Toxoplasmatinae have been widely investigated with different molecular markers. Here, we studied molecular phylogenies of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily based on apicoplast and mitochondrial genes. Partial sequences of apicoplast genes coding for caseinolytic protease (clpC) and beta subunit of RNA polymerase (rpoB), and mitochondrial gene coding for cytochrome B (cytB) were analyzed. Laboratory-adapted strains of the closely related parasites Sarcocystis falcatula and Sarcocystis neurona were investigated, along with Neospora caninum, Neospora hughesi, Toxoplasma gondii (strains RH, CTG and PTG), Besnoitia akodoni, Hammondia hammondiand two genetically divergent lineages of Hammondia heydorni. The molecular analysis based on organellar genes did not clearly differentiate between N. caninum and N. hughesi, but the two lineages of H. heydorni were confirmed. Slight differences between the strains of S. falcatula and S. neurona were encountered in all markers. In conclusion, congruent phylogenies were inferred from the three different genes and they might be used for screening undescribed sarcocystid parasites in order to ascertain their phylogenetic relationships with organisms of the family Sarcocystidae. The evolutionary studies based on organelar genes confirm that the genus Hammondia is paraphyletic. The primers used for amplification of clpC and rpoB were able to amplify genetic sequences of organisms of the genus Sarcocystisand organisms of the subfamily Toxoplasmatinae as well.
Highlights
Mitochondrial genes are useful for phylogenetic analysis at different taxonomic levels of apicomplexan parasites (LIN et al, 2011; HE et al, 2014)
The DNA of tachyzoites and merozoites maintained in laboratory models of the following apicomplexan parasites were used: Toxoplasma gondii strains RH, CTG and PTG maintained in mice, Neospora caninum strain NC-1 maintained in VERO, Sarcocystis neurona strain 138 and Sarcocystis falcatula SF1 strain kept in CV-1 cells
The genus Neospora is formed by two known species, Neospora caninum and Neospora hughesi, which differ markedly in relation to pathogenicity and antigenicity traits (MARSH et al, 1998, 1999)
Summary
Mitochondrial genes are useful for phylogenetic analysis at different taxonomic levels of apicomplexan parasites (LIN et al, 2011; HE et al, 2014). The gene coding for caseinolytic protease (clpC) (a member of the chaperone family) is a conserved apicoplast gene that is widely applied in phylogenetic reconstructions of apicomplexan organisms (RATHORE et al, 2001; MARTINSEN et al, 2008; LAU et al, 2009). The plastid-encoded beta subunit of RNA polymerase (rpoB), which is responsible for processing polymerase activity, has been used in phylogenetic reconstructions among organisms of the Sarcocystidae family (DUBEY et al, 2003a; WENDTE et al, 2010)
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Schedule a callMore From: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
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