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The mini-exon gene: a molecular marker for Endotrypanum schaudinni

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

O. Fernandes
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fundaçao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Department of Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
W. Degrave
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
D. A. Campbell
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA

Summary

The mini-exon gene repeats from three different strains of Endotrypanum schaudinni have been amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequence analysis of the cloned products shows the gene and intergenic region to be identical in two of the strains (LV86 and M6159); the intergenic region from the mini-exon gene of the third strain (LV59) is significantly different. The LV86 gene and an intergenic probe from the LV59 mini-exon gene do not cross-hybridize with the mini-exon gene from New World Leishmania species. These data provide the basis of a PCR assay to detect E. schaudinni and distinguish it from New World Leishmania species, and which should be applicable to epidemiological studies in insect vectors and mammalian reservoirs. The identification of two different mini-exon gene repeats in E. schaudinni isolates is indicative of further strain variation within this species.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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