Molecular characterization of the ribosomal DNA unit of &lt;i&gt;Sarcocystis singaporensis&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;Sarcocystis zamani&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Sarcocystis zuoi&lt;/i&gt; from rodents in Thailand

Watthanakaiwan, Vichan; Sukmak, Manakorn; Hamarit, Kriengsak; Kaolim, Nongnid; Wajjwalku, Worawidh; Muangkram, Yuttamol

doi:10.1292/jvms.16-0086

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…At these two loci, there was high similarity between S . zuoi detected in the Malayan field rat Rattus tiomanicus by Watthanakaiwan et al [ 12 ], and the parasite found in the Asian gray shrews in the present study. However, the thin-walled sarcocyst of S .…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 74%

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Infection of the Asian gray shrew Crocidura attenuata (Insectivora: Soricidae) with Sarcocystis attenuati n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in China

Sun

Guo

et al. 2022

Parasites Vectors

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Background Data on the genus Sarcocystis in insectivores are limited. The Asian gray shrew Crocidura attenuata is one of the most common species of the insectivore family Soricidae in South Asia and Southeast Asia. To our knowledge, species of Sarcocystis have never been recorded previously in this host. Methods Tissues were obtained from 42 Asian gray shrews caught in 2017 and 2018 in China. Sarcocysts were observed using light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To describe the parasite life cycle, muscle tissues of the host infected with sarcocysts were force-fed to two beauty rat snakes Elaphe taeniura. Individual sarcocysts from different Asian gray shrews, and oocysts/sporocysts isolated from the small intestines and feces of the experimental snakes, were selected for DNA extraction, and seven genetic markers, namely, two nuclear loci [18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) and internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS1)], three mitochondrial genes [cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), cox3 and cytochrome b], and two apicoplast genes (RNA polymerase beta subunit and caseinolytic protease C), were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. Results Sarcocysts were found in 17 of the 42 (40.5%) Asian gray shrews. Under LM, the microscopic sarcocysts showed saw- or tooth-like protrusions measuring 3.3–4.5 μm. Ultrastructurally, the sarcocyst wall contained numerous lancet- or leaf-like villous protrusions, similar to those described for type 9h of the common cyst wall classification. The experimental beauty rat snakes shed oocysts/sporocysts measuring 11.9–16.7 × 9.2–10.6 μm with a prepatent period of 10–11 days. Comparison of the newly obtained sequences with those previously deposited in GenBank revealed that those of 18S rDNA and cox1 were most similar to those of Sarcocystis scandentiborneensis recorded in the tree shrews Tupaia minor and Tupaiatana (i.e., 97.6–98.3% and 100% identity, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rDNA or ITS1 sequences placed this parasite close to Sarcocystis spp. that utilize small animals as intermediate hosts and snakes as the known or presumed definitive host. On the basis of morphological and molecular characteristics and host specificity, the parasite was proposed as a new species, named Sarcocystis attenuati. Conclusions Sarcocysts were recorded in Asian gray shrews, to our knowledge for the first time. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, a new species of parasite is proposed: Sarcocystisattenuati. According to the LM and TEM results, S. attenuati sarcocysts are distinct from those of Sarcocystis spp. in other insectivores and those of S. scandentiborneensis in tree shrews. The 18S rDNA or cox1 sequences of Sarcocystis attenuati shared high similarity with those of Sarcocystisscandentiborneensis, Sarcocystis zuoi, Sarcocystis cf. zuoi in the Malayan field rat, and Sarcocystis sp. in the greater white-toothed shrew. Therefore, we suggest that more research on the relationships of these closely related taxa should be undertaken in the future. Graphical abstract

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 74%

“…However, the thin-walled sarcocyst of S . zuoi described by Watthanakaiwan et al [ 12 ] unambiguously differs from the thick-walled sarcocyst of S. zuoi proposed by Hu et al [ 13 ] in the Norway rat Rattus norvegicus . Therefore, the S .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 62%

Infection of the Asian gray shrew Crocidura attenuata (Insectivora: Soricidae) with Sarcocystis attenuati n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in China

Sun

Guo

et al. 2022

Parasites Vectors

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“…Among the four available sequences of S . zuoi from Thailand (KU341118-21; Watthanakaiwan et al, 2017 ) we restricted our analysis to KU341120, because it ranked first in the BLAST search and represented the longest nt sequence from that location. Other taxa included S. tupaia (FJ827486; because published sequences FJ827485-88 are identical, only one was included here; Xiang et al, 2010 ), the only known 18S rDNA sequence from a treeshrew to date, members of the ‘ S .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Description of Sarcocystis scandentiborneensis sp. nov. from treeshrews (Tupaia minor, T. tana) in northern Borneo with annotations on the utility of COI and 18S rDNA sequences for species delineation

Pérez

Wibbelt

Brinkmann

et al. 2020

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Sarcocystis scandentiborneensis sp. nov. was discovered in histological sections of striated musculature of treeshrews ( Tupaia minor , T . tana ) from Northern Borneo. Sarcocysts were cigar-shaped, 102 μm–545 μm long, and on average 53 μm in diameter. The striated cyst wall varied in thickness (2–10 μm), depending on whether the finger-like, villous protrusions (VP) were bent. Ultrastructurally, sarcocysts were similar to wall type 12 but basal microtubules extended into VPs that tapered off with a unique U-shaped, electron-dense apical structure. In phylogenetic trees of the nuclear 18S rRNA gene, S . scandentiborneensis formed a distinct branch within a monophyletic subclade of Sarcocystis spp. with (colubrid) snake-rodent life cycle. We mapped all intraspecific (two haplotypes) and interspecific nucleotide substitutions to the secondary structure of the 18S rRNA gene: in both cases, the highest variability occurred within helices V2 and V4 but intraspecific variability mostly related to transitions, while transition/transversion ratios between S . scandentiborneensis , S . zuoi , and S . clethrionomyelaphis were skewed towards transversions. Lack of relevant sequences restricted phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to include only one species of Sarcocystis recovered from a snake host ( S. pantherophisi ) with which the new species formed a sister relationship. We confirm the presence of the functionally important elements of the COI barcode amino acid sequence of S . scandentiborneensis , whereby the frequency of functionally important amino acids (Alanine, Serine) was markedly different to other taxa of the Sarcocystidae. We regard S . scandentiborneensis a new species, highlighting that structurally or functionally important aspects of the 18S rRNA and COI could expand their utility for delineation of species. We also address the question why treeshrews, believed to be close to primates, carry a parasite that is genetically close to a Sarcocystis lineage preferably developing in the Rodentia as intermediate hosts.

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“…It has also been shown recently that a complete ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region could be useful for the evolutionary studies of Sarcocystis spp. from small mammals [47]. Other investigators demonstrated that mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) was a better choice than 18S rDNA and cox1 for the discrimination of the closely related S. cymruensis and S. ratti that parasitize rats [35].…”

Section: Sarcocystis Species Identification and Richness In Small Mam...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Protozoan Parasites of Sarcocystis spp. in Rodents from Commercial Orchards

Prakas,

Stirkė,

Šneideris

et al. 2023

Animals

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Small mammals are an important group of wildlife that can transmit pathogens to humans and animals. There is a lack of comprehensive studies on the protozoan parasites of the genus Sarcocystis in agricultural areas. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp., and to identify the parasite species found in the skeletal muscles of rodents and insectivores from commercial orchards. A total of 679 muscle samples from small mammals, mainly rodents (n = 674), belonging to eight species were examined. Muscle samples were pooled into groups, then digested, and the presence of the Sarcocystis species was confirmed by molecular methods. The examined parasites were determined in five rodent species, Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, Clethrionomys glareolus, Microtus arvalis, and M. oeconomus. The prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was low: 2.23% in voles and 0.79% in mice. Based on a sequence comparison of cox1 and 28S rDNA, four species were identified: S. myodes, Sarcocystis cf. strixi, Sarcocystis sp. Rod1, and Sarcocystis sp. Rod2. This is the first report of S. myodes in A. agrarius, A. flavicollis, and M. arvalis. The identified species were most closely related to Sarcocystis spp., and were transmitted by predatory mammals and birds. Future studies are needed to describe the species morphologically, as well as to define the host spectrum and to evaluate their possible pathogenicity.

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Molecular characterization of the ribosomal DNA unit of <i>Sarcocystis singaporensis</i>, <i>Sarcocystis zamani</i> and <i>Sarcocystis zuoi</i> from rodents in Thailand

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

Infection of the Asian gray shrew Crocidura attenuata (Insectivora: Soricidae) with Sarcocystis attenuati n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in China

Infection of the Asian gray shrew Crocidura attenuata (Insectivora: Soricidae) with Sarcocystis attenuati n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in China

Description of Sarcocystis scandentiborneensis sp. nov. from treeshrews (Tupaia minor, T. tana) in northern Borneo with annotations on the utility of COI and 18S rDNA sequences for species delineation

Protozoan Parasites of Sarcocystis spp. in Rodents from Commercial Orchards

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