Šlapeta J.R., Modrý D., Votýpka J., Jirků M., Koudela B. & Lukeš J. (2001) Multiple origin of the dihomoxenous life cycle in sarcosporidia. International Journal for Parasitology 31 (4): 413-417.

Keywords:
Sarcocystidae, phylogenetic analysis, dihomoxeny, small subunit ribosomal RNA, life cycle, evolution PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS, TOXOPLASMA-GONDII, HAMMONDIA-HAMMONDI, SARCOCYSTIS-MUCOSA, GENE-SEQUENCES, COCCIDIA, APICOMPLEXA, EVOLUTION, FRENKELIA, SPOROZOA
Abstract:
Although their ssrRNA gene sequences are closely related, the lizard sarcosporidia (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) Sarcocystis lacertae and Sarcocystis gallotiae posses heteroxenous and dihomoxenous life cycles, respectively. When aligned with available sarcosporidian ssrRNA genes, both species contitute a monophyletic clade that is only distantly related with sarcosporidia that have a viperid snake as their definitive host (Sarcocystis sp., Sarcocystis atheridis). To test the phyletic status of the dihomoxenous life style, Sarcocystis rodentifelis and Sarcocystis muris, two dihomoxenous parasites of mammals were included into this study. All studied species group together with former Frenkelia spp., Sarcocystis neurona and related marsupial and bird sarcosporidia in a monophyletic clade. However, the available dataset supports independent appearance of the dihomoxenous life cycle at least twice during the evolution of the Sarcocystidae. (C) 2001 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
ISSN 0020-7519
IF 2,516
UK