Korean J Parasitol.  1997 Jun;35(2):119-125. 10.3347/kjp.1997.35.2.119.

Restriction endonuclease analysis of mitochondrial DNA of Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 (Korean isolate)

• Shin HJ
• Im K
• Jeon KW

• KMID: 1715326
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1997.35.2.119

Abstract

Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 is similar to A. culbertsoni based upon morphological characteristics of trophozoites and cysts. However, based on other characteristics, pathogenicity to mice, in vitro cytotoxicity and isoenzyme patterns. Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 was quite different from A. culbertsoni. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of mtDNA is useful in the classification of members belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba. Therefore, in this study, RFLP analysis of Acanthamoeba mtDNAs was accomplished using five restriction enzymes: HaeIII, HindIII, ClaI, PvuII and SalI. Each restriction enzyme produced approximately 3-15 fragments (range: from 0.6 kbp to 34.4 kbp). The mtDNA genome size, calculated by the summation of restriction fragments, averaged 46.4 kbp in Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4, 48.3 kbp in A. culbertsoni and 48.8 kbp in A. polyphaga, respectively. Digested mtDNA fragments of Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 contained nine and seven same size fragments, respectively, from a total of 67 and 69 fragments observed in A. culbertsoni and A. polyphaga. An estimate of the genetic divergence was 10.1% between Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 and A. culbertsoni, and 9.9% between Acanthamoeba sp. YM-4 and A. polyphaga.

MeSH Terms

Acanthamoeba/genetics*
Acanthamoeba/classification
Animal
DNA, Mitochondrial/analysis*
DNA, Protozoan/analysis*
Korea
Mice
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Variation (Genetics)