Close sequence identity between ribosomal DNA episomes of the non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar and pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica

Journal of biosciences

Jaishree Paul1¹  Alok Bhattacharya¹  Sudha Bhattacharya¹ 

[1] School of Life Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110 067, India$$

关键词: Differential probes;    Entamoeba dispar;    Entamoeba histolytica;    intergenic spacers;    rDNA episome;   

DOI  :  

来源: Indian Academy of Sciences

【 摘 要 】

Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba histolytica are now recognized as two distinct species – the former being nonpathogenic to humans. We had earlier studied the organization of ribosomal RNA genes in E. histolytica. Here we report the analysis of ribosomal RNA genes in E. dispar. The rRNA genes of E. dispar, like their counterpart in E. histolytica are located on a circular rDNA molecule. From restriction map analysis, the size of E. dispar rDNA circle was estimated to be 24.4 kb. The size was also confirmed by linearizing the circle with BsaHI, and by limited DNAseI digestion. The restriction map of the E. dispar rDNA circle showed close similarity to EhR1, the rDNA circle of E. histolytica strain HM-1:IMSS which has two rDNA units per circle. The various families of short tandem repeats found in the upstream and downstream intergenic spacers (IGS) of EhR1 were also present in E. dispar. Partial sequencing of the cloned fragments of E. dispar rDNA and comparison with EhR1 revealed only 2.6% to 3.8% sequence divergence in the IGS. The region Tr and the adjoining PvuI repeats in the IGS of EhR1, which are missing in those E. histolytica strains that have one rDNA unit per circle, were present in the E. dispar rDNA circle. Such close similarity in the overall organization and sequence of the IGS of rDNAs of two different species is uncommon. In fact the spacer sequences were only slightly more divergent than the 18S rRNA gene sequence which differs by 1.6% in the two species. The most divergent sequence between E. histolytica and E. dispar was the internal transcribed spacer, ITS2. Therefore, it was concluded that probes derived from the ITS1 and ITS2 sequences would be more reliable and reproducible than probes from the IGS regions used earlier for identifying these species.

【 授权许可】

Unknown