Isoenzyme analysis of Echinostoma liei: comparison and hybridization with other African species.

Isoenzyme analysis was carried out on the laboratory strain of Echinostoma liei. The results were compared with those from a preliminary study on Echinostoma caproni, Echinostoma togoensis, and Echinostoma sp. (A. Voltz, J. Richard, B. Pesson, and J. Jourdane, 1986, Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparée, 61, 617-623). Isoelectrofocusing showed characteristic phenotypes for phosphoglucomutase (PGM, EC 5.4.2.2) and glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI, EC 5.3.1.9). The four experimental strains were monomorphic. Their genotypes were defined. Isoenzyme analysis of F1-hybrids and their F2 descendants indicated the subunit structure of both isoenzymes and showed that they were encoded by independent genes. Finally, it also suggested that the four strains corresponded to variants of the same species.