This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McLaughlin, G L Articles by Visvesvara, G S Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McLaughlin, G L Articles by Visvesvara, G S

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1988 September; 26(9): 1655-1658

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the DNA of selected Naegleria and Acanthamoeba amebae.

Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.

ABSTRACT

Fourteen strains of Naegleria fowleri, two strains of N. gruberi, and one strain each of N. australiensis, N. jadini, N. lovaniensis, Acanthamoeba sp., A. castellanii, A. polyphaga, and A. comandoni isolated from patients, soil, or water were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Total cellular DNA (1 microgram) was digested with either HindIII, BglII, or EcoRI; separated on agarose gels; and stained with ethidium bromide. From 2 to 15 unusually prominent repetitive restriction fragment bands, totaling 15 to 50 kilobases in length and constituting probably more than 30% of the total DNA, were detected for all ameba strains. Each species displayed a characteristic pattern of repetitive restriction fragments. Digests of the four Acanthamoeba spp. displayed fewer, less intensely staining repetitive fragments than those of the Naegleria spp. All N. fowleri strains, whether isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of patients from different parts of the world or from hot springs, had repetitive restriction fragment bands of similar total lengths (ca. 45 kilobases), and most repetitive bands displayed identical mobilities. However, polymorphic bands were useful in identifying particular isolates. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis generally was consistent with taxonomy based on studies of infectivity, morphology, isoenzyme patterns, and antibody reactivity and suggests that this technique may help classify amebae isolated from clinical specimens or from the environment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Mathers, W. D., Nelson, S. E., Lane, J. L., Wilson, M. E., Allen, R. C., Folberg, R. (2000). Confirmation of Confocal Microscopy Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba Keratitis Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis. Arch Ophthalmol 118: 178-183 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fritsche, T. R., Horn, M., Seyedirashti, S., Gautom, R. K., Schleifer, K.-H., Wagner, M. (1999). In Situ Detection of Novel Bacterial Endosymbionts of Acanthamoeba spp. Phylogenetically Related to Members of the Order Rickettsiales. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 206-212 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Pélandakis, M., De Jonckheere, J. F., Pernin, P. (1998). Genetic Variation in the Free-Living Amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 2977-2981 [Abstract] [Full Text]