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Phylogenetic relationships between Toxoplasma and Sarcocystis deduced from a comparison of 18S rDNA sequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

J. T. Ellis
Affiliation:
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology Sydney, Gore Hill, New South Wales 2065, Australia
K. Luton
Affiliation:
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology Sydney, Gore Hill, New South Wales 2065, Australia
P. R. Baverstock
Affiliation:
Centre for Conservation Technology, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
G. Whitworth
Affiliation:
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology Sydney, Gore Hill, New South Wales 2065, Australia
A. M. Tenter
Affiliation:
Institut für Parasitologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
A. M. Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology Sydney, Gore Hill, New South Wales 2065, Australia

Summary

The current taxonomy of parasites in the genus Sarcocystis is largely based on morphological characteristics as well as on host specificity and life-cycle structure. Recently, phylogenetic analyses of partial ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences provided support for paraphyly of Sarcocystis. We have tested the validity of this hypothesis by sequencing the complete 18S rRNA genes of Sarcocystis arieticanis, Sarcocystis gigantea and Sarcocystis tenella and comparing them with gene sequences derived from other taxa of the phylum Apicomplexa. The results obtained from this study do not reject the hypothesis of monophyly of Sarcocystis species, although the bootstrap data were inconclusive for some species.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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