Molecular identification of the rodent-borne pathogen Rodentolepis nana using the genetic markers of ITS-1, 18 S, and 28 S rDNA.

BACKGROUND

Rodentolepis nana (syn. Hymenolepis nana), the most common cyclophyllid tapeworm infecting rodents, is a well-studied gastrointestinal parasite in mice and belongs to the family Hymenolepididae.

METHODS

The present study focuses on the molecular analysis for the nuclear genes (ITS-1, 18 S, and 28 S rDNA) used for the accurate recognition of the recovered Rodentolepis species.

RESULTS

The annotated partial ITS-1, 18 S, and 28 S rDNA gene regions were deposited in GenBank (gbǀ MW310394.1, gbǀ MW327585.1, and gbǀ MW324479.1, respectively) and further used in the maximum likelihood method (ML) to clarify their genetic relationships at the species level. The interrogation sequence of R. nana was aligned and belonged to the family Hymenolepididae, in the same group as all Hymenolepis species, which were distinct from Cyclophyllidea cestodes, especially species belonging to Anoplocephalidae and Taeniidae. Sequence data support the paraphyly of Hymenolepis species.

CONCLUSIONS

The phylogeny supports the availability of the ITS-1, 18 S, and 28 S rDNA genes as reliable genetic markers for evolutionary relationships.