FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasitol Res / Phylogenetic relationships of Sarcocystis neurona of horses ...
Parasitology research2005; 97(5); 345-357; doi: 10.1007/s00436-005-1396-5

Phylogenetic relationships of Sarcocystis neurona of horses and opossums to other cyst-forming coccidia deduced from SSU rRNA gene sequences.

Abstract: Phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the nuclear-encoded small subunit rRNA (ssurRNA) gene were performed to examine the origin, phylogeny, and biogeographic relationships of Sarcocystis neurona isolates from opossums and horses from the State of Michigan, USA, in relation to other cyst-forming coccidia. A total of 31 taxa representing all recognized subfamilies and genera of Sarcocystidae were included in the analyses with clonal isolates of two opossum and two horse S. neurona. Phylogenies obtained by the four tree-building methods were consistent with the classical taxonomy based on morphological criteria. The "isosporid" coccidia Neospora, Toxoplasma, Besnoitia, Isospora lacking stieda bodies, and Hyaloklossia formed a sister group to the Sarcocystis spp. Sarcocystis species were divided into three main lineages; S. neurona isolates were located in the second lineage and clustered with S. mucosa, S. dispersa, S. lacertae, S. rodentifelis, S. muris, and Frenkelia spp. Alignment of S. neurona SSU rRNA gene sequences of Michigan opossum isolates (MIOP5, MIOP20) and a S. neurona Michigan horse isolate (MIH8) showed 100% identity. These Michigan isolates differed in 2/1085 bp (0.2%) from a Kentucky S. neurona horse isolate (SN5). Additionally, S. neurona isolates from horses and opossums were identical based on the ultrastructural features and PCR-RFLP analyses thus forming a phylogenetically indistinct group in these regions. These findings revealed the concordance between the morphological and molecular data and confirmed that S. neurona from opossums and horses originated from the same phylogenetic origin.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2005-08-16 PubMed ID: 16133298DOI: 10.1007/s00436-005-1396-5Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study analyzes genetic sequences to determine the evolutionary relationships among Sarcocystis neurona, a type of parasite found in horses and opossums, and other related parasites. The research performed in Michigan, USA, confirms a close genetic match between this parasite in both horses and opossums, suggesting a common origin.

Methods and Objectives

  • The research used an approach called ‘phylogenetic analysis,’ which is a way of arranging organisms (in this case, parasites) into a ‘family tree’ based on genetic similarities and differences.
  • The researchers used sequences of the small subunit rRNA (ssurRNA) gene, a gene commonly used in this type of analysis due to its universality among living organisms and its unique patterns of evolution.
  • The aim of the study was to understand the origin and evolutionary relationships (phylogeny) of Sarcocystis neurona parasites isolated from opossums and horses in Michigan, comparing them to other similar parasites known as cyst-forming coccidia.

Results

  • A total of 31 different taxa (groups of one or more species) within the Sarcocystidae family were analyzed, including samples of S. neurona from both opossums and horses.
  • The evolutionary trees (phylogenies) constructed from these genetic data agreed with the current taxonomic classification based on physical features, supporting the accuracy of the previous classification.
  • S. neurona from opossums and horses in Michigan showed 100% identity to each other in their ssurRNA gene sequences, indicating they are the same species and suggesting a common origin.
  • This was further supported by finding that these parasites had identical ultrastructural features and matching patterns in a type of DNA analysis known as PCR-RFLP.
  • Just minimal differences were found between the Michigan S. neurona samples and a horse sample from Kentucky, suggesting a fairly recent divergence in evolution.

Conclusion

  • The study findings confirm the close genetic link between S. neurona in horses and opossums and suggest they originated from the same evolutionary source. This agreement between the morphological and molecular information solidifies our understanding of the evolutionary history of these parasites.

Cite This Article

APA
Elsheikha HM, Lacher DW, Mansfield LS. (2005). Phylogenetic relationships of Sarcocystis neurona of horses and opossums to other cyst-forming coccidia deduced from SSU rRNA gene sequences. Parasitol Res, 97(5), 345-357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1396-5

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 0932-0113
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 97
Issue: 5
Pages: 345-357

Researcher Affiliations

Elsheikha, Hany M
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Lacher, David W
    Mansfield, Linda S

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Base Sequence
      • Coccidia / classification
      • Coccidia / genetics
      • DNA, Protozoan
      • Horse Diseases / parasitology
      • Horses / parasitology
      • Michigan
      • Molecular Sequence Data
      • Opossums / parasitology
      • Phylogeny
      • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
      • Sarcocystis / classification
      • Sarcocystis / genetics
      • Sarcocystosis / parasitology
      • Sarcocystosis / veterinary
      • Sequence Analysis, DNA

      References

      This article includes 39 references
      1. Barta JR, Jenkins MC, Danforth HD. Evolutionary relationships of avian Eimeria species among other Apicomplexan protozoa: monophyly of the apicomplexa is supported.. Mol Biol Evol 1991 May;8(3):345-55.
        pubmed: 2072862doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040653google scholar: lookup
      2. Saitou N, Nei M. The neighbor-joining method: a new method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees.. Mol Biol Evol 1987 Jul;4(4):406-25.
        pubmed: 3447015doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040454google scholar: lookup
      3. Hofacker IL, Fekete M, Stadler PF. Secondary structure prediction for aligned RNA sequences.. J Mol Biol 2002 Jun 21;319(5):1059-66.
        pubmed: 12079347doi: 10.1016/S0022-2836(02)00308-Xgoogle scholar: lookup
      4. Slapeta JR, Modrý D, Votýpka J, Jirků M, Koudela B, Lukes J. Multiple origin of the dihomoxenous life cycle in sarcosporidia.. Int J Parasitol 2001 Apr;31(4):413-7.
        pubmed: 11306120doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(01)00127-8google scholar: lookup
      5. Jenkins MC, Ellis JT, Liddell S, Ryce C, Munday BL, Morrison DA, Dubey JP. The relationship of Hammondia hammondi and Sarcocystis mucosa to other heteroxenous cyst-forming coccidia as inferred by phylogenetic analysis of the 18S SSU ribosomal DNA sequence.. Parasitology 1999 Aug;119 ( Pt 2):135-42.
        pubmed: 10466120doi: 10.1017/s0031182099004618google scholar: lookup
      6. Tamura K, Nei M. Estimation of the number of nucleotide substitutions in the control region of mitochondrial DNA in humans and chimpanzees.. Mol Biol Evol 1993 May;10(3):512-26.
        pubmed: 8336541doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040023google scholar: lookup
      7. Ellis JT, Holmdahl OJ, Ryce C, Njenga JM, Harper PA, Morrison DA. Molecular phylogeny of Besnoitia and the genetic relationships among Besnoitia of cattle, wildebeest and goats.. Protist 2000 Dec;151(4):329-36.
        pubmed: 11212893doi: 10.1078/S1434-4610(04)70031-0google scholar: lookup
      8. Murphy AJ, Mansfield LS. Simplified technique for isolation, excystation, and culture of Sarcocystis species from opossums.. J Parasitol 1999 Oct;85(5):979-81.
        pubmed: 10577742
      9. Jakes KA. Sarcocystis mucosa in Bennetts wallabies and pademelons from Tasmania.. J Wildl Dis 1998 Jul;34(3):594-9.
        pubmed: 9706570doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-34.3.594google scholar: lookup
      10. Huelsenbeck JP, Rannala B. Phylogenetic methods come of age: testing hypotheses in an evolutionary context.. Science 1997 Apr 11;276(5310):227-32.
        pubmed: 9092465doi: 10.1126/science.276.5310.227google scholar: lookup
      11. Slapeta JR, Modrý D, Votýpka J, Jirků M, Lukes J, Koudela B. Evolutionary relationships among cyst-forming coccidia Sarcocystis spp. (Alveolata: Apicomplexa: Coccidea) in endemic African tree vipers and perspective for evolution of heteroxenous life cycle.. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2003 Jun;27(3):464-75.
        pubmed: 12742751doi: 10.1016/s1055-7903(03)00018-6google scholar: lookup
      12. Frenkel JK. Besnoitia wallacei of cats and rodents: with a reclassification of other cyst-forming isosporoid coccidia.. J Parasitol 1977 Aug;63(4):611-28.
        pubmed: 407344
      13. Hasegawa M, Kishino H, Yano T. Dating of the human-ape splitting by a molecular clock of mitochondrial DNA.. J Mol Evol 1985;22(2):160-74.
        pubmed: 3934395doi: 10.1007/BF02101694google scholar: lookup
      14. Tanhauser SM, Yowell CA, Cutler TJ, Greiner EC, MacKay RJ, Dame JB. Multiple DNA markers differentiate Sarcocystis neurona and Sarcocystis falcatula.. J Parasitol 1999 Apr;85(2):221-8.
        pubmed: 10219299
      15. Mansfield LS, Schott HC 2nd, Murphy AJ, Rossano MG, Tanhauser SM, Patterson JS, Nelson K, Ewart SL, Marteniuk JV, Bowman DD, Kaneene JB. Comparison of Sarcocystis neurona isolates derived from horse neural tissue.. Vet Parasitol 2001 Feb 26;95(2-4):167-78.
        pubmed: 11223197doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00388-5google scholar: lookup
      16. Frenkel JK, Dubey JP. Rodents as vectors for feline coccidia, Isospora felis and Isospora rivolta.. J Infect Dis 1972 Jan;125(1):69-72.
        pubmed: 5008695doi: 10.1093/infdis/125.1.69google scholar: lookup
      17. Thompson JD, Gibson TJ, Plewniak F, Jeanmougin F, Higgins DG. The CLUSTAL_X windows interface: flexible strategies for multiple sequence alignment aided by quality analysis tools.. Nucleic Acids Res 1997 Dec 15;25(24):4876-82.
        pubmed: 9396791doi: 10.1093/nar/25.24.4876google scholar: lookup
      18. Rosenthal BM, Lindsay DS, Dubey JP. Relationships among Sarcocystis species transmitted by New World opossums (Didelphis spp.).. Vet Parasitol 2001 Feb 26;95(2-4):133-42.
        pubmed: 11223194doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00385-xgoogle scholar: lookup
      19. Fenger CK, Granstrom DE, Gajadhar AA, Williams NM, McCrillis SA, Stamper S, Langemeier JL, Dubey JP. Experimental induction of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses using Sarcocystis sp. sporocysts from the opossum (Didelphis virginiana).. Vet Parasitol 1997 Feb;68(3):199-213.
        pubmed: 9066066doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(96)01112-0google scholar: lookup
      20. Dubey JP, Lindsay DS, Saville WJ, Reed SM, Granstrom DE, Speer CA. A review of Sarcocystis neurona and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).. Vet Parasitol 2001 Feb 26;95(2-4):89-131.
        pubmed: 11223193doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00384-8google scholar: lookup
      21. Tenter AM, Baverstock PR, Johnson AM. Phylogenetic relationships of Sarcocystis species from sheep, goats, cattle and mice based on ribosomal RNA sequences.. Int J Parasitol 1992 Jul;22(4):503-13.
        pubmed: 1644525doi: 10.1016/0020-7519(92)90151-agoogle scholar: lookup
      22. Elsheikha HM, Saeed MA, Fitzgerald SD, Murphy AJ, Mansfield LS. Effects of temperature and host cell type on the in vitro growth and development of Sarcocystis falcatula.. Parasitol Res 2003 Sep;91(1):22-6.
        pubmed: 12851811doi: 10.1007/s00436-003-0902-xgoogle scholar: lookup
      23. Barta JR, Martin DS, Carreno RA, Siddall ME, Profous-Juchelkat H, Hozza M, Powles MA, Sundermann C. Molecular phylogeny of the other tissue coccidia: Lankesterella and Caryospora.. J Parasitol 2001 Feb;87(1):121-7.
        pubmed: 11227876doi: 10.1645/0022-3395(2001)087[0121:MPOTOT]2.0.CO;2google scholar: lookup
      24. Hasegawa M, Iida Y, Yano T, Takaiwa F, Iwabuchi M. Phylogenetic relationships among eukaryotic kingdoms inferred from ribosomal RNA sequences.. J Mol Evol 1985;22(1):32-8.
        pubmed: 3932662doi: 10.1007/BF02105802google scholar: lookup
      25. Posada D, Crandall KA. MODELTEST: testing the model of DNA substitution.. Bioinformatics 1998;14(9):817-8.
        pubmed: 9918953doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/14.9.817google scholar: lookup
      26. Kimura M. A simple method for estimating evolutionary rates of base substitutions through comparative studies of nucleotide sequences.. J Mol Evol 1980 Dec;16(2):111-20.
        pubmed: 7463489doi: 10.1007/BF01731581google scholar: lookup
      27. Felsenstein J. Phylogenies from molecular sequences: inference and reliability.. Annu Rev Genet 1988;22:521-65.
        pubmed: 3071258doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.22.120188.002513google scholar: lookup
      28. Lockhart PJ, Steel MA, Hendy MD, Penny D. Recovering evolutionary trees under a more realistic model of sequence evolution.. Mol Biol Evol 1994 Jul;11(4):605-12.
        pubmed: 19391266doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040136google scholar: lookup
      29. Huelsenbeck JP, Ronquist F. MRBAYES: Bayesian inference of phylogenetic trees.. Bioinformatics 2001 Aug;17(8):754-5.
        pubmed: 11524383doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/17.8.754google scholar: lookup
      30. Yang Z. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic estimation from DNA sequences with variable rates over sites: approximate methods.. J Mol Evol 1994 Sep;39(3):306-14.
        pubmed: 7932792doi: 10.1007/BF00160154google scholar: lookup
      31. Dolezel D, Koudela B, Jirků M, Hypsa V, Oborník M, Votýpka J, Modrý D, Slapeta JR, Lukes J. Phylogenetic analysis of Sarcocystis spp. of mammals and reptiles supports the coevolution of Sarcocystis spp. with their final hosts.. Int J Parasitol 1999 May;29(5):795-8.
        pubmed: 10404278doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(99)00018-1google scholar: lookup
      32. Fenger CK, Granstrom DE, Langemeier JL, Gajadhar A, Cothran G, Tramontin RR, Stamper S, Dubey JP. Phylogenetic relationship of Sarcocystis neurona to other members of the family Sarcocystidae based on small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence.. J Parasitol 1994 Dec;80(6):966-75.
        pubmed: 7799170
      33. Escalante AA, Ayala FJ. Evolutionary origin of Plasmodium and other Apicomplexa based on rRNA genes.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1995 Jun 20;92(13):5793-7.
        pubmed: 7597031doi: 10.1073/pnas.92.13.5793google scholar: lookup
      34. Felsenstein J. Evolutionary trees from DNA sequences: a maximum likelihood approach.. J Mol Evol 1981;17(6):368-76.
        pubmed: 7288891doi: 10.1007/BF01734359google scholar: lookup
      35. Carreno RA, Barta JR. An Eimeriid origin of isosporoid coccidia with Stieda bodies as shown by phylogenetic analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences.. J Parasitol 1999 Feb;85(1):77-83.
        pubmed: 10207368
      36. Frenkel JK, Smith DD. Determination of the genera of cyst-forming coccidia.. Parasitol Res 2003 Nov;91(5):384-9.
        pubmed: 14505041doi: 10.1007/s00436-003-0969-4google scholar: lookup
      37. Efron B, Halloran E, Holmes S. Bootstrap confidence levels for phylogenetic trees.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996 Nov 12;93(23):13429-34.
        pubmed: 8917608doi: 10.1073/pnas.93.23.13429google scholar: lookup
      38. Kishino H, Hasegawa M. Evaluation of the maximum likelihood estimate of the evolutionary tree topologies from DNA sequence data, and the branching order in hominoidea.. J Mol Evol 1989 Aug;29(2):170-9.
        pubmed: 2509717doi: 10.1007/BF02100115google scholar: lookup
      39. Mugridge NB, Morrison DA, Johnson AM, Luton K, Dubey JP, Votýpka J, Tenter AM. Phylogenetic relationships of the genus Frenkelia: a review of its history and new knowledge gained from comparison of large subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequences.. Int J Parasitol 1999 Jun;29(6):957-72.
        pubmed: 10480733doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(99)00062-4google scholar: lookup

      Citations

      This article has been cited 9 times.
      1. Dubey JP, Howe DK, Furr M, Saville WJ, Marsh AE, Reed SM, Grigg ME. An update on Sarcocystis neurona infections in animals and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).. Vet Parasitol 2015 Apr 15;209(1-2):1-42.
        doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.01.026pubmed: 25737052google scholar: lookup
      2. Lau YL, Chang PY, Subramaniam V, Ng YH, Mahmud R, Ahmad AF, Fong MY. Genetic assemblage of Sarcocystis spp. in Malaysian snakes.. Parasit Vectors 2013 Sep 9;6(1):257.
        doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-257pubmed: 24010903google scholar: lookup
      3. Clark EL, Blake DP. Genetic mapping and coccidial parasites: past achievements and future prospects.. J Biosci 2012 Nov;37(5):879-86.
        doi: 10.1007/s12038-012-9251-1pubmed: 23107923google scholar: lookup
      4. Kutkiene L, Prakas P, Sruoga A, Butkauskas D. The mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) as intermediate host for Sarcocystis wobeseri sp. nov. from the barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis).. Parasitol Res 2010 Sep;107(4):879-88.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-1945-4pubmed: 20567986google scholar: lookup
      5. Kiehl E, Heydorn AO, Schein E, Al-Rasheid KA, Selmair J, Abdel-Ghaffar F, Mehlhorn H. Molecular biological comparison of different Besnoitia species and stages from different countries.. Parasitol Res 2010 Mar;106(4):889-94.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-1770-9pubmed: 20135147google scholar: lookup
      6. Kiehl E, Walldorf V, Klimpel S, Al-Quraishy S, Mehlhorn H. The European vectors of Bluetongue virus: are there species complexes, single species or races in Culicoides obsoletus and C. pulicaris detectable by sequencing ITS-1, ITS-2 and 18S-rDNA?. Parasitol Res 2009 Aug;105(2):331-6.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1414-0pubmed: 19326144google scholar: lookup
      7. Kutkiene L, Prakas P, Sruoga A, Butkauskas D. Sarcocystis in the birds family Corvidae with description of Sarcocystis cornixi sp. nov. from the hooded crow (Corvus cornix).. Parasitol Res 2009 Jan;104(2):329-36.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-1196-9pubmed: 18855013google scholar: lookup
      8. Dahlgren SS, Gjerde B. Sarcocystis in moose (Alces alces): molecular identification and phylogeny of six Sarcocystis species in moose, and a morphological description of three new species.. Parasitol Res 2008 Jun;103(1):93-110.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-0936-1pubmed: 18369663google scholar: lookup
      9. Elsheikha HM, Schott HC 2nd, Mansfield LS. Genetic variation among isolates of Sarcocystis neurona, the agent of protozoal myeloencephalitis, as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism markers.. Infect Immun 2006 Jun;74(6):3448-54.
        doi: 10.1128/IAI.01215-05pubmed: 16714575google scholar: lookup
      Subscribe to our newsletter
      Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.