Genetic heterogeneity within Echinococcus granulosus: isolates from different hosts and geographical areas characterized with DNA probes.
Abstract: A segment of the ribosomal RNA gene of Schistosoma mansoni and a DNA fragment specific to Echinococcus granulosus, cloned in plasmids, have been used as DNA probes to assess the extent of genetic variability within E. granulosus and some distinct strains have been identified. The DNA analysis, involving restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blot hybridization with the probes, did not demonstrate any significant genetic variation within the U.K. horse/dog or sheep/dog strains but confirmed the distinctiveness of the two strains shown in previous studies. The sheep/dog strain was shown to be cosmopolitan in its distribution and fertile bovine material originating from the United Kingdom, Kenya, Spain and India conformed to this strain by DNA hybridization. In contrast, cattle isolates from Holland produced markedly different DNA hybridization banding profiles indicating that cattle can harbour more than one strain of E. granulosus. Similarly, it was shown that goats can harbour two different strains of E. granulosus, the sheep/dog strain and a form which infects camels. The strain of E. granulosus infecting equines in Spain and Ireland is genetically identical to that infecting horses in the United Kingdom. There is also a different strain infecting pigs in Poland and Yugoslavia. This pig/dog strain appears to be very similar genetically to the forms of E. granulosus which use camels and goats as intermediate hosts and is similar, though not identical, to the variant infecting Dutch cattle. It has been shown that E. granulosus material, fixed for a prolonged period in ethanol, or lyophilized, is amenable to DNA analysis and that it is possible to characterize the DNA of a single adult worm.
Publication Date: 1989-08-01 PubMed ID: 2552377DOI: 10.1017/s0031182000060984Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article discusses the investigation of genetic variations within the parasite Echinococcus granulosus using DNA probes. The study identifies various distinct strains of the parasite in different hosts and geographical locations.
Methodology
- The researchers used a segment of the ribosomal RNA gene of Schistosoma mansoni (a parasitic worm) and a Echinococcus granulosus-specific DNA fragment, cloned in plasmids, as DNA probes.
- The DNA probes helped in assessing the extent of genetic variability within E. granulosus.
- Genetic analysis of the parasite was performed using restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blot hybridization with the probes.
Findings
- The DNA analysis revealed no significant genetic variation between the strains of E. granulosus found in horses/dogs or sheep/dogs in the U.K.
- The study confirmed the distinctiveness of the two aforementioned strains.
- The sheep/dog strain was found to have a wide global distribution as it was also found in fertile bovine material from the UK, Kenya, Spain, and India.
- Cattle isolates from Holland showed different DNA hybridization banding profiles, indicating that cattle can host more than one strain of E. granulosus.
- Another finding was that goats can harbor two different strains of E. granulosus – the sheep/dog strain and a form that infects camels.
- The equine strain of E. granulosus in Spain and Ireland was found to be genetically identical to the one infecting horses in the UK.
- The researchers also identified a different strain infecting pigs in Poland and Yugoslavia which appeared to be genetically similar to the forms of E. granulosus that infect camels and goats but different from the variant affecting Dutch cattle.
Significance of the Study
- The study showed that E. granulosus material preserved for a long period in ethanol, or lyophilized (freeze-dried), is suitable for DNA analysis.
- It demonstrated the possibility to characterize the DNA of a single adult worm, enhancing the prospects of deeper genetic studies of parasites.
Cite This Article
APA
McManus DP, Rishi AK.
(1989).
Genetic heterogeneity within Echinococcus granulosus: isolates from different hosts and geographical areas characterized with DNA probes.
Parasitology, 99 Pt 1, 17-29.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182000060984 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blotting, Southern
- Cattle
- DNA / analysis
- DNA / genetics
- DNA / isolation & purification
- DNA Probes
- DNA Restriction Enzymes
- Echinococcosis / parasitology
- Echinococcosis / veterinary
- Echinococcus / genetics
- Echinococcus / isolation & purification
- Ethanol
- Freeze Drying
- Goats
- Horses
- Humans
- Kenya
- Nucleic Acid Hybridization
- Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
- Sheep
- United Kingdom
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Zhu S, Zimmerman D, Deem SL. A Review of Zoonotic Pathogens of Dromedary Camels. Ecohealth 2019 Jun;16(2):356-377.
- Spotin A, Gholami S, Nasab AN, Fallah E, Oskouei MM, Semnani V, Shariatzadeh SA, Shahbazi A. Designing and conducting in silico analysis for identifying of Echinococcus spp. with discrimination of novel haplotypes: an approach to better understanding of parasite taxonomic. Parasitol Res 2015 Apr;114(4):1503-9.
- Dousti M, Abdi J, Bakhtiyari S, Mohebali M, Mirhendi Sh, Rokni M. Genotyping of Hydatid Cyst Isolated from Human and Domestic Animals in Ilam Province, Western Iran Using PCR-RFLP. Iran J Parasitol 2013 Jan;8(1):47-52.
- Taha HA. Genetic variations among Echinococcus granulosus isolates in Egypt using RAPD-PCR. Parasitol Res 2012 Nov;111(5):1993-2000.
- Santivañez SJ, Gutierrez AM, Rosenzvit MC, Muzulin PM, Rodriguez ML, Vasquez JC, Rodriguez S, Gonzalez AE, Gilman RH, Garcia HH. Human hydatid disease in Peru is basically restricted to Echinococcus granulosus genotype G1. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2008 Jul;79(1):89-92.
- Eckert J, Thompson RC, Lymbery AJ, Pawlowski ZS, Gottstein B, Morgan UM. Further evidence for the occurrence of a distinct strain of Echinococcus granulosus in European pigs. Parasitol Res 1993;79(1):42-8.
- Siles-Lucas M, Cuesta-Bandera C, César-Benito M. Random amplified polymorphic DNA technique for speciation studies of Echinococcus granulosus. Parasitol Res 1993;79(4):343-5.
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