Characterization of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene of the oyster parasite Haplosporidium costale.

The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene of the oyster parasite Haplosporidium costale was characterized from spore DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and molecular cloning. Sequence analysis showed that identical clones were obtained from separate batches of spore samples. The gene is 1791 nucleotides in size. It has 84.5% sequence similarity to that of a related oyster parasite, Haplosporidium nelsoni, 71.8% similarity to that of its oyster host, Crassostrea virginica, and 75.4% similarity to that of another oyster parasite, Perkinsus marinus. Among the variable regions of these SSU rRNA genes, H. costale-specific primers were designed and used to confirm parasite identity by the PCR technique. A common 150 base pair amplification product was obtained from DNA samples of H. costale spore DNA, DNA prepared from tissue sections of oysters infected with H. costale plasmodia, and the H. costale SSU rRNA clone. There was no detectable product from DNA samples isolated from tissue sections of oysters infected with H. nelsoni plasmodia.