Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA for three species of Eimeria from chickens in Taiwan

Coccidiosis of chickens caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria (Coccidia: Eimeriidae) is an enteric disease that results in great economic losses throughout the world, including Taiwan. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers specific for the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), three species of Eimeria, E. tenella, E. maxima, and E. acervulina have been successfully characterised from chickens in Taiwan. The sizes of PCR products from various isolates representing these three species were between 370 and 580 base pairs (bp). After cloning and sequencing of the PCR products, high nucleotide sequence identity (96.8-100%) was observed within a species. In addition, ITS-2 nucleotide sequences for E. tenella had higher homology (98.5-99.3%) than E. maxima (81.6-96.5%) when compared with appropriate sequences deposited in GenBank. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a 412-bp ITS-2 sequence for E. acervulina from chickens.     

特异PCR方法用于鸡的3种艾美耳球虫混合感染鉴别的研究

用单卵囊分离法获得的鸡的3种艾美耳球虫（每种各2株）卵囊：柔嫩艾美耳球虫（Eimeria tenella）、巨型艾美耳球虫（E．maxima）、堆型艾美耳球虫（E．acervulina）。经纯化、提取基因组DNA后，用报道的种特异引物做PCR扩增分析，以确定是否为纯种。结果发现这3种球虫均存在混合感染的情况。该结果为进一步研究这3种球虫奠定了基础，并说明特异PCR方法能够有效地、快速地鉴别球虫虫种。     

PCR-based differentiation of three porcine Eimeria species and Isospora suis

Isospora suis and Eimeria are frequent coccidian parasites of pigs. The unsporulated oocysts of Eimeria species and of I. suis are difficult to differentiate. Therefore, a species-specific PCR was developed. PCR products were amplified from Eimeria polita, Eimeria porci, and Eimeria scabra using primers from the conserved 18S rRNA regions and were subsequently sequenced. Based on variable sequence regions, primers were constructed for the differentiation of the three Eimeria species and I. suis. Using a combination of PCRs detecting one or two species, all four coccidian species were detected (theoretical lower detection level: DNA content of 250 oocysts of each Eimeria species or 25 oocysts of Isospora in 1microl) and differentiated. The PCR-based differentiation of the above mentioned species provides a useful alternative to microscopy.     

Application of polymerase chain reaction based on ITS1 rDNA to speciate Eimeria

A method was developed to recover Eimeria spp. oocysts directly from poultry litter and determine which species of Eimeria were present using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the ITS1 rDNA sequence. The species composition of Eimeria oocysts was also compared before and after propagation in susceptible chickens to determine if the relative proportion of each species changed after expansion. In samples from two broiler operations, ITS1-PCR was able to detect Eimeria spp. oocysts recovered from litter, with Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria praecox being the predominant species present therein. Although Eimeria tenella was found in one sample, the other species--Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria necatrix, and Eimeria mitis-were not detected. The species composition as determined by ITS1-PCR did not appear to appreciably alter after expansion in susceptible chickens. The described method represents a rapid means for determining the major Eimeria species in a poultry operation and may be helpful in choosing a particular live oocyst vaccine formulation to protect chickens against coccidiosis.     

Improved polymerase chain reaction technique for determining the species composition of Eimeria in poultry litter

An improved polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for determining the species composition of Eimeria in poultry litter was developed by incorporating species-specific internal standards in the assay. Internal standard molecules were prepared by fusing seven different Eimeria species-specific intervening transcribed sequence 1 (ITS1) rDNA primer pairs to a non-Eimeria DNA molecule and by cloning the hybrid DNA molecules into a plasmid. The internal DNA standards were then used in Eimeria-specific ITS 1 PCR, and they were found to be capable of detecting E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. praecox, and E. tenella oocysts isolated directly from poultry litter.     

鸡胚接种柔嫩艾美耳球虫和堆形艾美耳球虫活卵囊的免疫保护试验

给18日龄鸡胚接种一定剂量的柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eim eria tenella)和/或堆形艾美耳球虫(E.acervulina)孢子化卵囊,出雏后在无球虫环境中笼养,1~10日龄每天收集各组粪便样本,计数克粪便卵囊数(OPG),并于14日龄时以大剂量同源孢子化卵囊攻虫,以相对增重率(RWG)、饲料转化率(FCR)、相对卵囊产量(ROP)评价免疫保护效果。结果显示,以E.tenella或E.acervulina卵囊免疫18日龄鸡胚,其卵囊排出的潜隐期及达到峰值的时间与1日龄雏鸡接种组相一致,有相似的排卵囊曲线,提示其诱导免疫的建立是在出雏后开始建立的。攻虫后各免疫组的RWG由攻虫对照组的31.9%~51.7%提高到了76.5%~83.6%,RCR由攻虫对照组的4.11~4.89改善为2.72~2.96,ROP降至4.7%~23.5%。结果表明以一定剂量E.tenella和E.acervulina卵囊单独或混合经羊膜腔免疫18日龄鸡胚都可以建立起针对出雏后14日龄同源攻虫的良好免疫保护力。比较混合免疫E.tenella和E.acervulina卵囊组与单一接种E.tenella或E.acervulina卵囊组的免疫效果发现,混合免疫组的各项指标均稍优于后者。     

Inter- and intra-strain variation and PCR detection of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences of Australian isolates of Eimeria species from chickens

The objective of this study was to confirm the presence of seven species of Eimeria involved in chicken coccidiosis in Australia by comparing internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences, ITS-1 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and to apply phylogenetic analysis to assess evolutionary relationships of Australian isolates. Twenty-two distinct ITS-1 regions of 15 Australian Eimeria isolates were sequenced, and analysed using maximum parsimony, distance and maximum likelihood methods. Poor bootstrap support, resulting from high ITS-1 sequence heterogeneity between all species groups, resulted in polychotomy of the Eimeria species in all three trees generated by these analyses. Percentage identity analyses revealed two distant ITS-1 lineages in both E. mitis and E. maxima at the same levels that separate the two species E. tenella and E. necatrix. One E. maxima lineage consisted of Australian isolates, the other American isolates, with one European sequence (originating from the same isolate) in each lineage. One Australian E. praecox sequence was only distantly related (33% variation) to three E. praecox sequences from Australian and European isolates. Short and long ITS-1 variants were isolated from both E. tenella (cloned line) and E. necatrix isolates with deletions (106 and 73 bp, respectively) in the short variants within the 3' region of the ITS-1 sequence. ITS-1 sequences of strains of both E. brunetti and E. acervulina species varied the least. Apart from E. maxima, all of the ITS-1 sequences of the six remaining individual species clustered to the exclusion of other species in all phylogenetic trees. Published ITS-1 tests for E. necatrix, E. acervulina, E. brunetti and E. tenella, combined with three new tests for E. mitis, E. praecox and Australian E. maxima amplified all respective Australian isolates specifically in a nested format using conserved ITS-1 PCR products as template to improve the sensitivity. All PCR tests were confirmed against a collection of 24 Australian chicken Eimeria isolates and contaminating species were detected in some instances. In conclusion, once the genetic variation between species and strains is determined, the ITS-1 is a good target for the development of species-specific assays, but the ITS-1 sequences alone do not seem suitable for the confirmation of phylogenetic inferences for these species. This study reports the first attempt at the analysis of the phylogeny and sequence comparison of the Eimeria species involved in chicken coccidiosis in Australia.     

Diagnosis of Eimeria species using traditional and molecular methods in field studies

The objective of this study was to identify and characterize species of Eimeria in broiler chickens using traditional morphological and pathological plus molecular (DNA amplification) diagnostic methodologies. Using a combination of those techniques it was possible to identify the presence of multiple circulating species in the flock as well as higher frequencies for some of them, especially Eimeria praecox and Eimeria maxima, which were identified in 100% of the flocks. The frequencies of the other species were Eimeria mitis and Eimeria necatrix (93.3%), Eimeria tenella (76,7%), Eimeria acervulina (56.7%) and Eimeria brunetti (16.7%). However using the lesion score, the most common species were E. maxima (46.7%), E. acervulina (30%), E. tenella (23.3%), and E. necatrix (10%). E. brunetti and E. praecox were not identified by using lesion score. DNA amplification had detection sensitivity for Eimeria species in the field samples of at least 20 oocysts. The implementation of DNA amplification as a routine diagnostic technique in aviaries can assist Eimeria population.     

鸡艾美耳球虫18SrDNA序列与系统进化分析

为了确定鸡艾美耳球虫（Eimeria）不同种以及来自不同地区同种不同株之间的亲缘关系,研究其分类地位,对实验室保藏的柔嫩艾美耳球虫（Etenella）、毒害艾美耳球虫（Eneeatrix）、巨型艾美耳球虫（Emaxima）、堆形艾美耳球虫（Eaaervulina）等4种15株鸡球虫孢子化卵囊的18SrDNA基因进行克隆、测序,并与从GenBank下载的鸡球虫18SrDNA序列一起,使用软件DNAstar 5．0 MegAlign进行系统发育分析。结果显示,4种艾美耳球虫种间同源性在94．6％～99．4％之间,7株柔嫩艾美耳球虫的株间同源性在99．0％-99．9％之间,5株巨型艾美耳球虫的株间同源性在96．9％～99．8％之间。用该4种鸡球虫的18SrDNA序列与GenBank下载的另外4种鸡球虫18SrDNA序列构建系统发育树,显示这8种鸡艾美耳球虫形成2个分支,即堆形艾美耳球虫（EASH）、巨型艾美耳球虫（EMSH）、变位艾美耳球虫（Emivati）、和缓艾美耳球虫（Emitis）、布氏艾美耳球虫（Ebrunetti）、早熟艾美耳球虫（Epraecox）构成1个分支,柔嫩艾美耳球虫（ENSH）、毒害艾美耳球虫（ETAS）构成另1分支。巨型艾美耳球虫、柔嫩艾美耳球虫各株的系统发育树均根据地域关系产生2个分支。柔嫩艾美耳球虫、毒害艾美耳球虫的亲缘关系较近,不同地理区域的同种不同株的亲缘关系相对较远,种间和种内的鉴定结果与普通生物学结果一致。本研究提示18SrDNA基因可用于鸡球虫不同种／株的分类鉴定,为艾美耳球虫分子遗传学鉴定提供了理论基础。     

银染mRNA差异显示法克隆柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eimeria tenella)抗药性相关基因

以柔嫩艾美耳球虫（Eimeria tenella）敏感株、地克珠利抗药株和马杜拉霉素抗药株孢子化卵囊为材料，用银染mRNA差异显示方法筛选和克隆与球虫抗药性相关的基因。首先提取这3个虫株孢子化卵囊的总RNA为模板．用Oligo（dT）12GG为锚定引物和2个10碱基随机引物组合进行RTPCR，产物经变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳后银染。分别切取5务差异条带，进行2次PCR扩增，产物回收后与PGEM—T—easy Vector连接转化。经PCR鉴定正确后，再进行斑点杂交试验、序列分析和同源性比较。结果发现，地克珠利抗药株和马杜拉霉素抗药株分离的差异片段中都有2个cDNA片段（可能为新的基因片段），这为克隆全长cDNA和探索球虫抗药性产生的分子机理奠定了一定的基础。     

安氏隐孢子虫PCR检测方法的建立

经BLAST检索,以HSP70基因设计一对引物(5'-CAATCGAATTGGATTCTTTGTC-3'和5'-CACCTTCAAAT-ACTTGAATAAGT-3')对奶牛安氏隐孢子虫进行了PCR试验.结果显示所建立的PCR检测方法只能特异扩增隐孢子虫GD株DNA,而对照样本如微小隐孢子虫、弓形虫、圆孢子虫、纤毛虫、肝片吸虫、血矛线虫、莫尼茨绦虫、牛粪便以及大肠杆菌均为阴性;通过对6个浓度梯度的虫体DNA进行PCR反应,结果表明当样本中含有445个隐孢子虫卵囊的DNA时,即可扩增产生清晰可辩的条带.测得该序列长度为494bp,序列分析为牛型C.andersoni.表明该引物能特异扩增C.andersoni,敏感性较高,适合于奶牛安氏隐孢子虫的检测.     

斯氏艾美耳球虫ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2序列的克隆及PCR检测方法的建立

通过对多种鸡球虫和松鼠球虫18SrRNA和28SrRNA进行序列比对分析,在18SrRNA 3′端和28SrRNA 5′端保守区设计艾美耳属通用引物,以斯氏艾美耳球虫洛阳分离株LY卵囊基因组DNA为模板首次成功克隆到斯氏艾美耳球虫完整的ITS1-5.8SrRNA-ITS2序列,其大小为1 178bp,其中ITS1序列长度为423bp,5.8SrRNA为155bp,ITS2为600bp,斯氏艾美耳球虫LY株ITS1/2序列高度变异,与鸡球虫、啮齿动物球虫的序列相似性低于60%。然后在斯氏艾美耳球虫ITS1/2序列超变区设计种特异引物,建立了灵敏、特异的PCR检测方法。本研究结果将为兔球虫强致病种的临床诊断和揭示兔球虫种群遗传特征提供有效的分子工具。     

基于ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2序列兔肝球虫PCR检测方法的建立

通过对多种鸡球虫和松鼠球虫18S rRNA和28S rRNA进行序列比对分析,在18S rRNA 3’端和28S rRNA 5’端保守区设计艾美耳属通用引物,以斯氏艾美耳球虫洛阳分离株LY卵囊基因组DNA为模板首次成功克隆到斯氏艾美耳球虫完整的ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2序列,其大小为1178bp,其中ITS1序列长度为423bp,5.8S rRNA为155 bp,ITS2为600 bp,斯氏艾美耳球虫LY株ITS1/2序列高度变异,与鸡球虫、啮齿动物球虫的序列同源性低于60%。然后在斯氏艾美耳球虫ITS1/2序列超变区设计种特异引物,建立了灵敏、特异的PCR检测方法。本研究结果将为兔球虫强致病种的临床诊断和揭示兔球虫种群遗传特征提供有效的分子工具。     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫表面抗原（EtSAG）基因的分离及鉴定

利用本实验室前期获得的柔嫩艾美耳球虫（Eimeria tenella）孢子化卵囊和未孢子化卵囊差异表达ESTs序列,选取编号为BW4-C03的孢子化卵囊,采用RACE技术,获得该基因全长序列。经BLAST分析,该序列与柔嫩艾美耳球虫表面抗原有72%以上的同源性,命名为EtSAG。利用荧光定量PCR（Real-time PCR）检测发现该基因在孢子化卵囊的转录拷贝数最高,且随着孢子化时间的延长,转录拷贝数逐渐增加。采用原核表达载体pET-28C表达该基因,得到的融合蛋白大小约为36 kDa,符合预期大小。经Western blot分析,该重组蛋白可被兔抗柔嫩艾美耳球虫的多克隆抗血清识别,表明该蛋白具有较好的反应原性。本研究结果为进一步研究该基因的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

Distribution of oocysts, sporocysts and sporozoites of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima in the digestive tract of chicken.

The distribution of oocysts, sporocysts and sporozoites of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima in the digestive tract of chicken and in excreta was investigated. At 1 h after the oral inoculation of E. tenella oocysts, the number of sporocysts in the cecum was 3.4 x 10(6) and decreased gradually thereafter, and the number of sporozoites in the cecum increased and remained at a high level until 12 h after the inoculation. Small numbers of sporocysts and sporozoites of E. tenella were found in other intestinal sites. A great number of E. maxima sporozoites was found, especially in the jejunum, 2 h after the inoculation. The findings that the largest populations of sporozoites of E. tenella and E. maxima were found in the cecum and the jejunum, respectively, indicate that the site specificity of sporozoite invasion for each species is determined before the invasion takes place.     

球虫抗药性分子生物学检测技术的建立

选择在敏感虫株中沉默、抗药虫株中表达的特异序列AGD5设计检测引物，采用RT—PCR方法。以总RNA反转录的cDNA为模板，RT—PCR方法能够鉴别马杜霉素抗药虫株和3株马杜霉素敏感虫株（2株对所有药物敏感的不同地理株，1株地克珠利抗药性虫株对马杜霉素敏感），此鉴定结果与鸡体试验的结果一致，说明敏感虫株和抗药虫株在该序列上的差异发生在转录水平。而以卵囊总DNA为模板的PCR方法不能鉴别敏感和马杜霉素抗药性虫株。     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫耐药株与鸡3种球虫的同工酶的研究

对不同离子载体抗生素具有抗药性的柔嫩艾美耳球虫和药物敏感的柔嫩区美耳球虫、布氏匀美耳球虫和堆型艾耳球虫的孢子化卵囊,采用聚安凝胶垂直板电泳,进行了乳酸脱氢酶（ＬＤＨ）、葡萄糖磷酸异构酶（ＧＰＩ）和葡萄糖－６－磷酸脱氢酶（Ｇ６ＰＤ）等同工酶华不同离子载体抗生素具有抗药性的柔嫩艾美耳球虫和药物同工酶酶谱可以反应出球虫种间差异;而柔嫩艾耳球虫抗性虫株的ＬＤＨ酶谱是２条带,敏感虫株是３条带,抗性株比敏感株     

Molecular identification of Eimeria species infecting market-age meat chickens in commercial flocks in Ontario

A previously described multiplex PCR was evaluated for the identification and prevalence of Eimeria species in market-age commercial chicken flocks in Ontario. The multiplex PCR based on species-specific RAPD-SCAR markers was able to distinguish six available laboratory strains of Eimeria species (E. tenella, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. mitis, E. acervulina, and E. brunetti) and E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina in unknown field samples, including multiple infections in single reactions. No backyard (0/77) and 20/360 market-age commercial chickens were oocyst-positive using standard fecal flotation methods. PCR identified E. tenella alone (9/360, 2.5%), E. maxima alone (5/360, 1.38%), E. maxima plus E. tenella (5/360, 1.38%) and E. acervulina alone (1/360, 0.27%) in market-age commercial broilers. This is probably the first time the multiplex PCR has been evaluated in poultry establishments in Canada and illustrates the value of the tool in coccidiosis epidemiology on commercial farms.     

Inter and intra-specific genetic variation of avian Eimeria isolated from Iran by random amplified polymorphic DNA--polymerase chain reaction

Eimeria species from poultry breeder farms without previous exposure to anticoccidial vaccines in five distinct geographical regions of Iran were examined for genetic relatedness by the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay. Eight different oligonucleotide decamers with arbitrary DNA sequences were tested as primers to amplify DNA from five isolates of each E. acervulina, E. tenella, and E. maxima. Depending on the species/isolate-primer combination, between 1 and 14 DNA fragments ranging in size from 240 to 3000 bp were amplified. The two isolates originated from Northeast and North parts of Iran showed minor differences and two isolates originated from Northeast and Southwest of Iran showed major differences in their amplified DNA patterns. The intra-specific similarity coefficient within five isolates of each species of, E. acervulina, E. tenella, E. maxima was 74, 82 and 72%, respectively. The distance indices observed between species were greater than those found between isolates (80-90%) with all examined primers. The inferred phylogenetic tree on the fingerprinting of all species revealed that the RAPD-PCR can easily differentiate within and between species and could be a useful and valuable tool in future epidemiological studies, designing and developing of vaccines against avian coccidosis, here in Iran and neighboring countries.     

Three Enzymes Newly Identified from the Genus Eimeria and Two More Newly Identified from E. maxima,Leading to the Discovery of Some Aliphatic Acids with Activity against Coccidia of the Domesticated Fowl

Nine enzymes were detected in sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella and E. maxima, parasites of the domesticated fowl (Gallus gallus). Three enzymes, hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase and -glutamyltransferase, all identified for the first time in Eimeria of fowl, occurred both in E. tenella and in E. maxima. The remaining enzymes assayed had previously been found in various Eimeria species of fowl, although creatine kinase and glutamate dehydrogenase were hitherto unknown from E. maxima. The three enzymes newly recorded from Eimeria of fowl are of interest as potential genetic markers, and also as potential chemotherapeutic targets. The discovery of hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase led to the demonstration of anticoccidial activity by some aliphatic acids. The paper also includes a list of the enzymes detected in Eimeria of fowl in previous studies.