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Phylogenetic analysis of freshwater fish trypanosomes from Europe using ssu rRNA gene sequences and random amplification of polymorphic DNA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 December 2004

W. C. GIBSON
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
J. LOM
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
H. PECKOVÁ
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
V. R. FERRIS
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
P. B. HAMILTON
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
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Abstract

The taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of fish trypanosomes are uncertain. A collection of 22 cloned trypanosome isolates from 14 species of European freshwater fish and 1 species of African freshwater fish were examined by molecular phylogenetic analysis. The small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu rRNA) genes of 8 clones were sequenced and compared with ssu rRNA gene sequences from a wider selection of vertebrate trypanosome isolates by phylogenetic analysis. All trypanosomes from freshwater fish fell in a single clade, subdivided into 3 groups. This clade sits within a larger, robust clade containing trypanosomes from marine fish and various amphibious vertebrates. All 22 trypanosome clones were analysed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA. The resulting dendrogram shows 3 groups, which are congruent with the groups identified in the ssu rRNA gene phylogeny. Two of the groups contain the majority of trypanosome isolates and within-group variation is slight. These groups do not separate purported trypanosome species distinguished by morphology or host origin, and thus these criteria do not appear to be reliable guides to genetic relationships among fish trypanosomes. However, we suggest that the 2 groups themselves may represent different species of fish trypanosomes. The polymorphic DNA markers we have identified will facilitate future comparisons of the biology of these 2 groups of fish trypanosomes.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Table 1. Freshwater fish trypanosome isolates used in this study

Figure 1

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic analysis of ssu rRNA gene sequences from vertebrate trypanosomes. (A) Phylogram constructed by bootstrap (1000 bootstrap replicates) maximum parsimony analysis of 27 trypanosome taxa. The tree is the single most parsimonious tree (length=511, CI=0·736, RI=0·800), based on an alignment of 1301 characters, of which 134 were parsimony informative. Bootstrap values are shown for all major nodes and all branches receiving bootstrap support values [ges ]50%. The tree is rooted on 3 outgroup taxa. Database accession numbers are given for all sequences used in the analysis. (B) Maximum likelihood tree based on the same alignment (−ln L 4686.37081). Bootstrap values are shown for all major nodes and all branches receiving bootstrap support values [ges ]50% (%: 100 replicates).

Figure 2

Fig. 2. Ethidium bromide-stained gel showing RAPD results for primer P2 using various fish trypanosome DNAs as template. M, marker. Lanes 1–25: 1, Ts-Se-SP1 clone 1; 2, Ts-Pf-V2 clone 2; 3, Ts-Rr-SP2 clone 1; 4, Ts-Se-BL clone 1; 5, Ts-LC clone 2; 6, Ts-Ab-TB clone 1; 7, Ts-Caa-1 clone 3; 8, Ts-Bb-LS clone 2; 9, Ts-Pf-Mus clone 2; 10, Ts-Tt-VS clone 1; 11, MARV clone 11 (culture); 12, Ts-AA-HO clone 1; 13, Ts-Caa-PO clone 2; 14, LP clone 2; 15, R6 clone1; 16, Ts-Gg-PO clone 1; 17, S clone 2; 18, Ts-Cc-SP clone 1; 19, Ts-Tt-HOD clone 1; 20, CLAR clone 1; 21, CLAR clone 1; 22, E clone 1; 23, R6 clone1; 24, MARV clone 11 (blood); 25, Trypanosoma granulosum clone 1.

Figure 3

Fig. 3. UPGMA dendrogram of RAPD results including 70 characters for 23 fish trypanosome samples. The ssu rRNA gene of asterisked samples was also sequenced.

Figure 4

Fig. 4. Ethidium bromide-stained gels showing RAPD results for primers P9 and P10 using fish trypanosome DNA templates of groups A or B. Primer 9, Lanes 1–11: 1. Ts-Pf-Mus clone 2, 2. Ts- Tt-VS clone 1, 3. E clone 1, 4. Ts-AA-HO clone 1, 5. Ts-Caa-PO clone 2, 6. LP clone 2, 7. R6 clone1, 8. Ts-Gg-PO clone 1, 9. R6 clone1, 10. Ts-Tt-HOD clone 1, 11. S clone 2. Primer 10, Lanes 1–10: 1. Ts-Bb-LS clone 2, 2. Ts- Tt-VS clone 1, 3. Ts-Caa-1 clone 3, 4. Ts-AA-HO clone 1, 5. Ts-Caa-PO clone 2, 6. LP clone 2, 7. Ts-Rr-SP2 clone 1, 8. R6 clone1, 9. Ts-Gg-PO clone 1, 10. S clone 2.