Definition of genetic markers in nuclear ribosomal DNA for a neglected parasite of primates, Ternidens deminutus (Nematoda: Strongylida) – diagnostic and epidemiological implications

• Published in: Parasitology Vol. 131; no. 4; pp. 539 - 546
• Main Authors: SCHINDLER, A. R., DE GRUIJTER, J. M., POLDERMAN, A. M., GASSER, R. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Cercopithecus - parasitology; Deoxyribonucleic acid; diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; DNA; DNA, Helminth - analysis; DNA, Helminth - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Genetic Markers; Invertebrates; Mammalia; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Monkeys & apes; Nematoda; Nematodes; non-human primate; nuclear ribosomal DNA; Oesophagostomiasis - diagnosis; Oesophagostomiasis - epidemiology; Oesophagostomiasis - parasitology; Oesophagostomiasis - veterinary; Oesophagostomum - chemistry; Oesophagostomum - classification; Oesophagostomum - genetics; Oesophagostomum - isolation & purification; Olea; Papio; Papio anubis - parasitology; Parasites; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; Primate Diseases - diagnosis; Primate Diseases - epidemiology; Primate Diseases - parasitology; Primates; second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2); Sequence Alignment - veterinary; single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP); Species Specificity; Stephanostomum; Strongylida; Strongylida Infections - diagnosis; Strongylida Infections - epidemiology; Strongylida Infections - parasitology; Strongylida Infections - veterinary; Strongyloidea - classification; Strongyloidea - genetics; Strongyloidea - isolation & purification; Ternidens deminutus; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2); non-human primate; nuclear ribosomal DNA; Ternidens deminutus; Strongylida; single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP); diagnosis; genetic markers; Nematoda; Human; Genetic marker; Ribosomal DNA; Definition; Parasite; Epidemiology; Single strand conformation polymorphism; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Helmintha; Primates; Nemathelminthia; Diagnosis; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0031-1820; 1469-8161
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182005007936

Ternidens deminutus (Strongylida) is a parasitic nematode infecting non-human and human primates in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific islands. The present study genetically characterized T. deminutus and defined genetic markers in nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) as a basis for developing molecular-diagnostic tools. The sequences of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of rDNA were determined for adult specimens of T. deminutus (Nematoda: Strongylida: Oesophagostominae) from the Olive baboon and the Mona monkey.Nucleotide sequence data used in this paper are available in the EMBL, GenBank and DDJB databases under the Accession nos. AJ888729, AJ888730, AF136576, Y10789, Y10790, Y11733, Y11735, Y11736, AJ001594, AJ001599, AJ006149 and AJ006150. The former 2 sequences represent original data reported in this paper. The length and G+C content of the ITS-2 sequences was 216 bp and ~43%, respectively. While there was no sequence variation among individual T. deminutus specimens from the baboon, 6 (2·8%) nucleotide differences were detected in the ITS-2 between the parasite from baboon and that of the Mona monkey, which is similar to the difference (3·2%) between 2 other species of Oesophagostominae (Oesophagostomum bifurcum and O. stephanostomum) from non-human primates, suggesting significant population variation or the existence of cryptic (i.e. hidden) species within T. deminutus. Pairwise comparisons of the ITS-2 sequences of the 2 operational taxonomic units of T. deminutus with previously published ITS-2 sequences for selected members of the subfamilies Oesophagostominae and Chabertiinae indicated that species from primates (including those representing the subgenera Conoweberia and Ihleia) are closely related, in accordance with previous morphological studies. The sequence differences (27–48·3%) in the ITS-2 between the 2 taxonomic units of T. deminutus and hookworms (superfamily Ancylostomatoidea) enabled their identification and delineation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based mutation scanning. The genetic markers in the ITS-2 provide a foundation for improved, PCR-based diagnosis of T. deminutus infections and for investigating the life-cycle, transmission patterns and ecology of this parasite.