Riboprinting of Naegleria spp.: small-subunit versus large-subunit rDNA.

The nonpathogenic amoeba Naegleria lovaniensis is closely related to the human pathogen N. fowleri. Both grow at a maximal temperature of 45 degrees C and, therefore, are often found together in the environment. As they are morphologically inseparable at the light-microscope level, refined techniques are necessary to separate the two species. I have used restriction-fragment-length polymorphism analysis of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified ribosomal RNA gene, or riboprinting, to distinguish between the different Naegleria spp. Riboprints generated from the small subunit and the large subunit separate N. fowleri from N. lovaniensis. To examine the taxonomic relationships among all Naegleria spp., analysis of the large subunit has to be performed; the small subunit contains a 1.3-kb group I intron, which interferes with tree building based upon restriction sites.