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The identification of Trypanosoma brucei subspecies using repetitive DNA sequences

Hide, Geoff; Cattand, Pierre; LeRay, Dominique; Barry, J.David; Tait, Andrew

Authors

Pierre Cattand

Dominique LeRay

J.David Barry

Andrew Tait



Abstract

We describe the use of repetitive DNA probes to characterise the relationships between different stocks of African trypanosomes representing the subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei. Probes derived from the ribosomal RNA genes (coding region and non-transcribed spacer) and another repetitive DNA sequence were used to characterise trypanosome stocks by Southern blotting. Numerical taxonomy methods applied to the resulting restriction enzyme patterns were used to derive a dendrogram depicting the relationships between the stocks examined. We show that three groups of West African human infective stocks can be distinguished: firstly, a group containing exclusively T. b. gambiense; secondly, a group which is indistinguishable from animal isolates in West Africa; and thirdly, a single stock which is indistinguishable from East African T. b. rhodesiense. In addition, we observe that T. b. rhodesiense stocks from East Africa are indistinguishable from animal isolates from the same area. Finally, we show that a group of T. b. rhodesiense stocks, isolated from a 1978 sleeping sickness outbreak in Zambia, are probably derived from a single parasite strain, and that this strain is distinct from T. b. rhodesiense parasites from Kenya and Uganda.

Citation

Hide, G., Cattand, P., LeRay, D., Barry, J., & Tait, A. (1990). The identification of Trypanosoma brucei subspecies using repetitive DNA sequences. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 39(2), 213-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-6851%2890%2990060-y

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 1990-03
Deposit Date May 17, 2024
Journal Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
Print ISSN 0166-6851
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 39
Issue 2
Pages 213-225
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-6851%2890%2990060-y