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Phylogeny of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma evansi in naturally infected cattle in Nigeria by analysis of repetitive and ribosomal DNA sequences

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Abstract

In continuing efforts to better understand the genetics of bovine trypanosomosis, we assessed genetic diversity of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma evansi in naturally infected Nigerian cattle using repetitive DNA and internal transcribed spacer 1 of rDNA sequences and compared these sequences to species from other countries. The length of repetitive DNA sequences in both species ranged from 161 to 244 bp and 239 to 240 bp for T. brucei and T. evansi, respectively, while the ITS1 rDNA sequences length range from 299 to 364 bp. The mean GC content of ITS1 rDNA sequences was 33.57 %, and that of repetitive sequences were 39.9 and 31.1 % for T. brucei and T. evansi, respectively. Result from sequence alignment revealed both T. brucei and T. evansi repetitive DNA sequences to be more polymorphic than ITS1 rDNA sequences, with moderate points of deletion and insertions. T. brucei separated into two clades when subjected to phylogenetic analysis. T. evansi repetitive DNA sequences clustered tightly within the T. brucei clade while the ITS1 rDNA sequences of T. brucei were clearly separated from T. theileri and T. vivax individually used as outgroups. This study suggest that ITS1 rDNA sequences may not be suitable for phylogenetic differentiation of the Trypanozoon group and also suggest that T. evansi may be a phenotypic variant of T. brucei which may have potential implications in designing prevention and therapeutic strategies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Genetics and Genomics Laboratory, International Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Michael I. Takeet, Marcos De Donato, Mathew Wheto & Ikhide G. Imumorin

  2. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

    Michael I. Takeet

  3. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Michael I. Takeet & Benjamin O. Fagbemi

  4. Department of Animal Science, Berry College, Mount Berry, GA, 30149, USA

    Sunday O. Peters

  5. Department of Animal and Dairy sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Sunday O. Peters

  6. Department of Biomedicine, Universidad de Oriente, Cumana, Venezuela

    Marcos De Donato

  7. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

    Vivian O. Takeet

  8. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

    Mathew Wheto

Authors
  1. Michael I. Takeet
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  2. Sunday O. Peters
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  3. Benjamin O. Fagbemi
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  5. Vivian O. Takeet
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  7. Ikhide G. Imumorin
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Correspondence to Michael I. Takeet.

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Funding

Financial support is provided by the Educational Trust Fund of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Grant No. TETFUND-2010), and we are also thankful for the financial support by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and Zoetis, Inc. Additional support by National Research Initiative Competitive Grant Program (Grant No. 2006-35205-16864) from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture; USDA-NIFA Research Agreements (Nos. 2009-65205-05635, 2010-34444-20729). We also thank the entire staff of the Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, for permission granted to use their laboratory facilities for part of this study, with special gratitude to Prof. I. A. Lawal and Dr. O.O. Okubanjo.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Takeet, M.I., Peters, S.O., Fagbemi, B.O. et al. Phylogeny of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma evansi in naturally infected cattle in Nigeria by analysis of repetitive and ribosomal DNA sequences. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1235–1240 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1081-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1081-y

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