The substructure of three repetitive DNA regions of Schistosoma haematobium group species as a potential marker for species recognition and interbreeding detection
Date
2017-08-01
Authors
Abbasi, Ibrahim
Webster, Bonnie L.
King, Charles H.
Rollinson, David
Hamburger, Joseph
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
Background: Schistosoma haematobium is the causative agent of human urogenital schistosomiasis affecting ~112
million people in Africa and the Middle East. The parasite is transmitted by snails of the genus Bulinus, which also
transmit other closely related human and animal schistosomes. The accurate discrimination of S. haematobium from
species infecting animals will aid effective control and elimination programs. Previously we have shown the utility
of different repetitive nuclear DNA sequences (DraI, sh73bp, and sh77bp) for the identification of S. haematobiumgroup
species and inter-repeat sequences for discriminating S. haematobium from S. bovis.
Results: In this current study we clarify the structural arrangement and association between the three repetitive
sequences (DraI, sh73bp, and sh77bp) in both S. haematobium and S. bovis, with a unique repeat linker being found
in S. haematobium (Sh64bp repeat linker) and in S. bovis (Sb30bp repeat linker). Sequence data showed that the 3′-
end of the repeat linker was connected to the DraI repetitive sequence array, and at the 5′-end of the repeat linker
sh73bp and sh77bp were arranged in an alternating manner. Species-specific oligonucleotides were designed targeting
the species-specific repeat linkers and used in a reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay enabling differentiation
between S. haematobium and S. bovis. The assay was used to discriminate natural infections in wild caught
Bulinus globosus.
Conclusion: This research enabled the characterisation of species-specific DNA regions that enabled the design
of species-specific oligonucleotides that can be used to rapidly differentiate between S. haematobium and S. bovis and
also have the potential to aid the detection of natural hybridization between these two species.
Description
Keywords
Schistosoma haematobium , Schistosoma bovis , Hybridisation , DraI , Inter-repeat linkers , Reverse line blot (RLB)
Citation
Abbasi, I., Webster, B.L., King, C.H. et al. The substructure of three repetitive DNA regions of Schistosoma haematobium group species as a potential marker for species recognition and interbreeding detection. Parasites Vectors 10, 364 (2017) doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2281-7