Genetic characterization of three unique operational taxonomic units of Eimeria from chickens in Australia based on nuclear spacer ribosomal DNA

Cantacessi, Cinzia, Riddell, Shane, Morris, Genevieve M., Doran, Timothy, Woods, Wayne G., Otranto, Domenico, and Gasser, Robin B. (2008) Genetic characterization of three unique operational taxonomic units of Eimeria from chickens in Australia based on nuclear spacer ribosomal DNA. Veterinary Parasitology, 152 (3-4). pp. 226-234.

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Abstract

Coccidiosis of chickens is one of the commonest and economically most important parasitic diseases of poultry worldwide. Given the limitations of traditional approaches, molecular tools have been developed for the specific diagnosis of coccidiosis. Recently, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based capillary electrophoresis (CE) method, employing genetic markers in the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, was established for both analytical and diagnostic purposes. The application of this method to investigate the epidemiology of coccidiosis and genetic structures of Eimeria populations on commercial chicken establishments has discovered genetic variants of Eimeria (i.e., new operational taxonomic units OTU-X, OTU-Yand OTU-Z) which were (based on CE analysis) distinct from those of species of Eimeria identified previously in chickens in Australia. The present characterization of these OTUs, based on their ITS-2 sequences and phylogenetic analyses of selected sequence data, provides first evidence to support that OTU-X represents a population variant of Eimeria maxima, and that OTU-Y and OTU-Z represent cryptic species of Eimeria. Further biological and genetic studies are needed to rigorously test these proposals and establish the specific status of these OTUs and their importance as pathogens in chickens. An understanding of the epidemiology of these population variants or cryptic species in Australia is central to designing and implementing effective vaccination and control strategies.

Item ID: 26564
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1873-2550
Keywords: Chicken; Coccidiosis; Polymerase chain reaction (PCR); Capillary electrophoresis; Nuclear ribosomal DNA; Operational taxonomic unit (OTU)
Date Deposited: 20 Jun 2013 07:11
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0605 Microbiology > 060503 Microbial Genetics @ 40%
07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070708 Veterinary Parasitology @ 40%
08 INFORMATION AND COMPUTING SCIENCES > 0803 Computer Software > 080301 Bioinformatics Software @ 20%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 10%
97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970107 Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences @ 90%
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