Abstract
Species-level identification of Acanthamoeba isolates is difficult and gives little or no indication of the isolate's pathogenicity. We identified two amplification-based genetic markers that were highly correlated with pathogenicity in Acanthamoeba spp. One marker, designed to amplify a 485-bp fragment of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene (ssrDNA), was preferentially amplified from the nonpathogenic strains; amplifications from the pathogenic strains yielded anomalous fragments of 650 and 900 bp. A second marker was developed on the basis of the anomalous 650-bp fragment. Primers to this sequence preferentially amplified a noncoding locus (called Ac6) only from the pathogenic strains. These two genetic markers may be useful for identification of pathogenic Acanthamoeba spp. strains.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 345-348 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Parasitology Research |
Volume | 83 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgements We thank Dr William Schnitzlein and Dr. Susan Steenbergen for technical assistance. This work was supported by Public Health Service grant RO1 EYO8205 to G.L.M. Computer support was provided to M.H.V by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSCB DMB890077P).
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- General Veterinary
- Insect Science
- Infectious Diseases