Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular Characterization of Entamoeba histolytica tRNA Genes

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Eukaryome Impact on Human Intestine Homeostasis and Mucosal Immunology

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica is a eukaryotic protozoan parasite responsible for amoebiasis. Its genetic diversity throughout the world as well as its impact on the outcome of infection is still a mystery. In the present study, a total of 774 stool samples were tested by microscopy, TechLab enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and multiplex PCR for the presence of Entamoeba histolytica. For genotype analysis, six different loci (NK, RR, AL, DA and STGA-D) of the tRNA genes were amplified by PCR. The genotyping as well as the demographic data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for WINDOWS version 21.0) program. The overall prevalence of Entamoeba species varied from 5.4% to 10.5 % and was higher in urban area. The genetic profiling of E. histolytica indicated that some strains were specific to each of the two locations while some were common. Profile Number 1 of the NK locus was more prevalent in diarrhea samples and was from Pretoria. Similarly, some profiles were more associated with diarrhea compared to others further indicating that the outcome of the infection by this parasite might be associated with the genotype. The results also indicated the possibility of strains clustering by region. The results obtained in this study confirm that tRNA genes might have a role in the presentation of amoebiasis (symptomatic and asymptomatic infections) depending on the genetic profile of the infecting strain. This genotyping system could also be used to identify the origin of the infection once it has been standardized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

tRNA:

transfer Ribonucleic Acid

ELISA:

Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay

PCR:

Polymerase Chain Reaction

NK, RR, AL, DA and STGA-D:

Symbols representing the different tRNA genes

SPSS:

Statistical Package for Social Science

STR:

Short Tandem Repeat

DNA:

Deoxy-ribonucleic acid

OD:

Optical density

MEDUNSA:

Medical University of South Africa

References

  • Al-Harthi, S. A., & Jamjoom, M. B. (2007). Enteroparasitic occurrence in stools from residents in Southwestern region of Saudi Arabia before and during Umrah season. Saudi Medical Journal, 28, 386–390.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ali, I. K. M., Clark, C. G., & Petri, W. A., Jr. (2008). Molecular epidemiology of amoebiasis. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 8, 698–707.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ali, I. K. M., Mondal, U., Roy, S., Haque, R., Petri Jr., W. A., Clark, C.G. (2007) Evidence fora link between parasite genotype and outcome of infection with Entamoeba histolytica.Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 45, 285–289.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali, E., Samie, A., Sandi, E., & Raed, A. O. (2014). Genetic variability of the Serine-Rich Entamoeba histolytica protein gene in clinical isolates from the United Arab Emirates. Tropical Biomedicine, 31(2), 370–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali, I. K. M., Zaki, M., & Clark, C. G. (2005). Use of PCR amplification of tRNA gene-linked short tandem repeats for genotyping Entamoeba histolytica. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 43, 5842–5847.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Shammari, S., Khoja, T., El-Khwasky, F., & Gad, A. (2001). Intestinal parasitic diseases in Riyadh Saudi Arabia: Prevalence, sociodemographic and environmental associates. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 6(3), 184–189.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alum, A., Rubino, J. R., & Ijaz, M. K. (2010). The global war against intestinal parasites-should we use holistic approach? The International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID), 14, e732–e738.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, M. C., & Guerrant, R. L. (2003). The global burden of diarrheal disease, as estimated from studies published between 1992 and 2000. Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO), 81, 197–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, K., Mukherjee, A. K., Chowdhury, P., Sehgal, R., & Bhattacharya, M. K. (2014). Multilocus sequence typing system (MLST) reveals a significant association of Entamoeba histolytica genetic patterns with disease outcome. International Journal for Parasitology, 66, 308–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawood, K. A., Al-Muhja, R., Al-Zubaidy, F., & Al-Abbas, J. A. (2002). A study of giardia and amoebiasis in maternity and Hospital of Diwania, Kufa. Journal of Medicine, 5(1), 167–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ejaz, M., Murtaza, G., Ahmad, M., Khan, S. A., Saqib, Q. N., Asad, M. H. H. B., et al. (2011). Determination of the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica in human ata private fertilizer company hospital in Pakistan using microscopic technique. African Journal of Microbiology Research, 5, 149–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng, M., Cai, J., Yang, B., Fu, Y., Min, X., Tahibana, H., et al. (2012). Unique short tandem repeat nucleotide sequences in Entamoeba histolytica isolates from China. Parasitology Research, 111, 1137–1142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haghighi, A., Kobayashi, S., Takeuchi, T., Masuda, G., & Nozaki, T. (2002). Remarkable genetic polymorphism among Entamoeba histolytica isolates from a limited geographic area. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 40, 4081–4090.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamzah, Z., Petmitr, S., Mungthin, M., Leelayoova, S., & Chavalitshewinkoon-Petmitr, P. (2006). Differential detection of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii by a single-round PCR assay. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 44, 3196–3200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaiswal, V., Ghoshal, U., Mittal, B., Dhole, T. N., & Ghoshal, U. C. (2014). Association between allelic variation due to short tandem repeats in tRNA gene of Entamoba histolytica and clinical phenotypes of amoebiasis. Acta Tropica, 133, 1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozgumus, O. B., Celik-Sevim, E., Alpay-Karaoglu, S., Sandallic, C., & Sevim, A. (2007). Molecular characterization of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from tap and spring waters in a Coastal Region in Turkey. International Journal of Microbiology, 45, 379–387.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozyurt, M., Kurt, O., Yaman, O., Ardic, N., & Haznedaroglu, T. (2007). Evaluation of intestinal parasites in a period of four years in the coprology laboratory of a training hospital. Turkish Parazirol Derg, 31, 306–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parija, S. C., & Prabhakar, P. K. (1995). Evaluation of lacto-phenol cotton blue for wet mount preparation of feces. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 33, 1019–1021.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pham Duc, P., Nguyen-Viet, H., Hattendorf, J., Zinsstag, J., Dac Cam, P., & Odermatt, P. (2011). Risk factors for Entamoeba histolytica infection in an agricultural community in Hanam Province Vietnam. Parasit Vectors, 4, 102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samie, A., Obi, C. L., Bessong, P. O., Houpt, E., Stroup, S., Njayou, M., et al. (2008). Entamoeba histolytica: genetic diversity of African strains based on the polymorphism of the serine-rich protein gene. Experimental Parasitology, 118, 354–361.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, S. L. (2003). Amoebiasis. Lancet, 361, 1025–1034.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stark, D., van Hal, S., Fotedar, R., Butcher, A., Marriott, D., Ellis, J., et al. (2008). Comparison of stool antigen detection kits to PCR for diagnosis of amebiasis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 46, 1678–1681.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanyuksel, M., & Petri, W. A., Jr. (2003). Laboratory diagnosis of amoebiasis. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 16, 713–729.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tawari, B., Ali, I. K. M., Scott, C., Quail, M. A., Berriman, M., & Hall, N. (2008). Patterns of evolution in the unique tRNA gene arrays of the genus Entamoeba. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 25, 187–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ximenez, C., Cerritos, R., & Roja, L. (2010). Human amoebiasis: Breaking the paradigm? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), 7(3), 1105–1120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowldgements

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the rural primary health care clinics management in Giyani, Limpopo Province and private clinics management in Pretoria, Gauteng Province as well as the patients for their cooperation. This study received financial support from a grant made available to Prof. A Samie through the National Research Foundation.

Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Venda, Private BagX5050, Thohoyandou, South Africa

    N. C. Davhana & A. Samie

  2. Botho University, Botho Education Park, Kgale, Gaborone, Botswana

    P. A. Mbati

Authors
  1. N. C. Davhana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Mbati
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Samie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Samie .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute Pasteur, Paris, France

    Nancy Guillen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Davhana, N.C., Mbati, P.A., Samie, A. (2020). Molecular Characterization of Entamoeba histolytica tRNA Genes. In: Guillen, N. (eds) Eukaryome Impact on Human Intestine Homeostasis and Mucosal Immunology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44826-4_21

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation