Phylogenetic position of the freshwater fish trypanosome, Trypanosoma ophiocephali (Kinetoplastida) inferred from the complete small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence

Gu, Zemao; Wang, Jianguo; Ke, Xiaoli; Liu, Yang; Liu, Xiaoling; Gong, Xiongning; Li, Aihua

doi:10.1007/s00436-010-1759-4

Cited by 6 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…The data in the current study support the existence of a predominant fish clade with distinct marine and freshwater subclades, as suggested by Gibson et al [16], Kalsbakk and Nylund [18] and Gu et al [20]. However, an aquatic tetrapod subclade containing T. binneyi , from the platypus and T. chelodinae from turtles, also falls within the clade of trypanosomes from marine and freshwater fishes, and this occurs in other phylogenetic analyses such as those of Karlsbakk and Nylund [18] and Gu et al [20]. The seemingly anomalous phylogenetic position of this tetrapod clade could simply arise from insufficient taxon sampling and gene sequence information, leading to poor phylogenetic resolution.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In addition to fish trypanosome life cycles often proving problematic to resolve, phylogenetic relationships among these flagellates are often uncertain [ 16 - 18 ]. Freshwater species predominate phylogenetic studies of fish trypanosomes, using 18S rDNA sequences, with only a few marine species included, such as Trypanosoma boissoni Ranque, 1973 and Trypanosoma senegalense Ranque, 1973 from the sea off Senegal, and Trypanosoma pleuronectidium Robertson, 1906 and Trypanosoma murmanense Nikitin, 1927, from the sea off Norway [ 16 , 18 - 20 ]. To date, studies of phylogenetic relationships among fish trypanosomes in southern Africa are limited to freshwater species [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological and molecular characterization of a marine fish trypanosome from South Africa, including its development in a leech vector

et al. 2014

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BackgroundTrypanosomes are ubiquitous blood parasites of marine and freshwater fishes, typically transmitted by aquatic leeches. Phylogenetic studies have been dominated by examples derived from freshwater fishes, with few marine representatives. Furthermore, life cycle studies on marine fish trypanosomes have focused on those of the northern hemisphere. In this investigation, we have examined the life cycle and molecular taxonomy of a marine fish trypanosome from South Africa.MethodsTo locate trypanosome stages, leeches were removed from fishes captured on the west and south coasts of South Africa, and fish blood films and leech squashes were Giemsa-stained and screened; leeches were also examined histologically. To determine whether trypanosome stages in fishes and leeches were of the same genotype, DNA was extracted from Giemsa-stained fish blood films and leech squashes, and from fish whole blood. Fragments of the 18S rRNA gene were amplified by PCR using trypanosome-specific primers and sequenced. Resulting sequence data were compared with each other and with published trypanosome 18S rDNA sequences, and used for phylogenetic analysis.ResultsTrypanosomes were detected in blood films from fishes of the families Clinidae, Blenniidae and Gobiidae. The flagellates ranged in size and staining properties within the films and across fish hosts. In squashes and histological sections of adult and juvenile leeches, identified as Zeylanicobdella arugamensis, trypanosome developmental stages were predominantly slender epimastigotes. Sequence data showed that trypanosomes derived from fishes were identical, irrespective of whether they were small or large forms; sequences derived largely from leech epimastigotes were also identical to those obtained from fish trypanosomes. Fish and leech trypanosome sequences fell into a marine fish aquatic clade, and aligned most closely with two trypanosome sequences from marine fishes off Norway.ConclusionsCombined morphological and molecular methods indicate that the trypanosomes examined here represent a single pleomorphic species, rather than the three species described originally. This species is identified as Trypanosoma nudigobii Fantham, 1919 with the leech Z. arugamensis as its vector, and T. capigobii Fantham, 1919 and T. blenniclini Fantham, 1930 are regarded as junior synonyms of the species. Phylogenetic analysis establishes its affinity with marine fish trypanosomes off Norway.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and molecular characterization of a marine fish trypanosome from South Africa, including its development in a leech vector

et al. 2014

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“…Most molecular and phylogenetic studies of fish trypanosomes relied on SSU rRNA sequences, and show a major clade harbouring all fish trypanosomes, divided in two clades of species from marine or freshwater fishes. The positioning of trypanosomes from turtles and platypuses was unresolved, but they always clustered closely related to fish trypanosomes in the phylogenetic trees [ 5 , 11 , 38 – 41 , 50 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the absence of cultures, new fish trypanosome species have been described based on the combination of morphological and molecular phylogenetic data from blood flagellates [ 5 , 11 , 40 , 50 ]. Our finding that fish trypanosomes often harbour mixed infections, combined with similar data from previous studies [ 40 , 41 ], suggests that this approach requires a careful assessment to exclude the possibility of mixed infections, which preclude the unambiguous association between trypanosome sequences and parasite morphotypes found in fish blood and leech samples.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The number of phylogenetic studies of fish trypanosomes has increased in recent years, and these studies have focused on trypanosomes removed directly from the blood of European [ 38 , 41 , 48 , 49 ], African [ 11 , 39 ] and Asian [ 5 , 40 , 50 ] marine and freshwater fishes. These trypanosomes segregate, in general, in two groups within a main clade [ 5 , 11 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 49 , 50 ]. However, molecular phylogenetic analysis currently adopted for the description of trypanosome species is still lacking for Brazilian fish trypanosomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phylogenetic and morphological characterization of trypanosomes from Brazilian armoured catfishes and leeches reveal high species diversity, mixed infections and a new fish trypanosome species

et al. 2015

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BackgroundSeveral Trypanosoma species transmitted by leeches infect marine and freshwater fish worldwide. To date, all South American fish trypanosome species identified have been based on unreliable morphological parameters. We recently isolated and cultured trypanosomes from the Brazilian armoured catfishes Hypostomus luetkeni and H. affinis. Here, we report the first phylogenetic analyses of South American (Brazilian) trypanosomes isolated from fish, and from leeches removed from these fish. We also analysed morphologically and morphometrically the different forms of fish, leech and cultured trypanosomes.MethodsV7V8 SSU rRNA and gGAPDH sequences were used for phylogenetic analysis of Brazilian fish and leech trypanosomes. Trypanosomes from cultures, fish blood and leech samples were also characterized morphologically and morphometrically by light and electron microscopy.ResultsIn blood smears from fish high trypanosome prevalence (90–100 %) and parasitemia (0.9-1.0x102) were observed. Phylogenetic relationships using SSU rRNA and gGAPDH showed that, despite relevant sequence divergence, all Brazilian fish (and derived cultures) and leech trypanosomes clustered together into a single clade. The Brazilian clade clustered with European, North American and African fish trypanosomes. Based on sequence analysis, we uncovered a new species of Brazilian fish trypanosome, Trypanosoma abeli n. sp. Trypanosoma abeli cultures contained pleomorphic epimastigotes, small trypomastigotes and rare sphaeromastigotes. Ultrastructural features of T. abeli included a cytostome-cytopharynx complex in epi- and trypomastigotes, a compact rod-like kinetoplast, lysosome-related organelles (LROs) and multivesicular bodies. Trypanosomes found in fish blood smears and leech samples were highly pleomorphic, in agreement with sequence data suggesting that catfishes and leeches often have mixed trypanosome infections.ConclusionsTrypanosoma abeli n. sp. is the first trypanosome from South American fishes isolated in culture, positioned in phylogenetic trees and characterized at the ultrastructural level. Trypanosoma abeli n. sp. is highly prevalent in H. luetkeni and H. affinis armoured catfish from the Atlantic Forest biome, and in other catfish species from the Amazon and the Pantanal. Sequencing data suggested that Brazilian catfish often have mixed trypanosome infections, highlighting the importance of molecular characterization to identify trypanosome species in fishes and leeches.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1193-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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The neglected diversity: Description and molecular characterisation of Trypanosoma haploblephari Yeld and Smit, 2006 from endemic catsharks (Scyliorhinidae) in South Africa, the first trypanosome sequence data from sharks globally

Pretorius

Smit

Schaeffner

et al. 2021

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Phylogenetic position of the freshwater fish trypanosome, Trypanosoma ophiocephali (Kinetoplastida) inferred from the complete small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence

Cited by 6 publications

References 20 publications

Morphological and molecular characterization of a marine fish trypanosome from South Africa, including its development in a leech vector

Morphological and molecular characterization of a marine fish trypanosome from South Africa, including its development in a leech vector

Phylogenetic and morphological characterization of trypanosomes from Brazilian armoured catfishes and leeches reveal high species diversity, mixed infections and a new fish trypanosome species

The neglected diversity: Description and molecular characterisation of Trypanosoma haploblephari Yeld and Smit, 2006 from endemic catsharks (Scyliorhinidae) in South Africa, the first trypanosome sequence data from sharks globally

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