GENETIC-MARKERS IN RIBOSOMAL DNA FOR HOOKWORM IDENTIFICATION

Polymerase chain reaction-linked restriction fragment length polymorph ism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of ribosomal (r) DNA was conducted on Uncinari a stenocephala, Ancylostoma caninum, A. tubaeforme and A. ceylanicum. The rDNA region spanning the first and second internal transcribed spa cers (ITS1 and ITS2) plus the 5.8S (ITS+) gene was amplified by PCR fr om each of the species, digested separately with 9 restriction endonuc leases and the fragments separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Cha racteristic PCR-RFLP patterns were produced for each morphologically d efined species using some of the endonucleases. The present study demo nstrated that the ITS+ provides genetic markers for the delineation of each species examined and suggests that this region of rDNA will be u seful for the identification of other hookworms from a range of hosts. The results are likely to have important implications for studying th e genetic structure of hookworm populations, the systematics and the e pidemiology of hookworm infections.