Characterization of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae) from China

• Main Author: Guo-Hua Liu, Chun Li, Jia-Yuan Li, Dong-Hui Zhou, Rong-Chuan Xiong, Rui-Qing Lin, Feng-Cai Zou, Xing-Quan Zhu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ivyspring International Publisher 2012-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Biological Sciences
• Online Access: http://www.biolsci.org/v08p0640.htm

<p>Sparganosis, caused by the plerocercoid larvae of members of the genus <i>Spirometra</i>, can cause significant public health problem and considerable economic losses. In the present study, the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of <i>Spirometra erinaceieuropaei</i> from China was determined, characterized and compared with that of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei </i>from Japan. The gene arrangement in the mt genome sequences of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> from China and Japan is identical. The identity of the mt genomes was 99.1% between <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> from China and Japan, and the complete mtDNA sequence of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> from China is slightly shorter (2 bp) than that from Japan. Phylogenetic analysis of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> with other representative cestodes using two different computational algorithms [Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML)] based on concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 protein-coding genes, revealed that <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> is closely related to <i>Diphyllobothrium</i> spp., supporting classification based on morphological features. The present study determined the complete mtDNA sequences of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> from China that provides novel genetic markers for studying the population genetics and molecular epidemiology of <i>S. erinaceieuropaei</i> in humans and animals.</p>