APPLICATION OF DNA-FINGERPRINTING WITH DIGOXIGENATED OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBE (CAC)(5) TO ANALYSIS OF THE GENETIC-VARIATION WITHIN TAENIA-TAENIAEFORMIS

DNA from T. taeniaeformis digested with the restriction endonuclease w as hybridized with digoxigenated oligonucleotide probe (CAC)(5). Metac estode and adult showed same clear multibanding patterns, which were c haracteristic of multilocus DNA fingerprinting. The fingerprinting pat terns were quite different from those of the rodent hosts. Genetic var iations in 4 laboratory-reared isolates of T. taeniaeformis, including 3 isolates which have been reported to be indistinguishable by infect ivity, morphology and protein composition of metacestode, were investi gated using this technique. Each of the 4 isolates exhibited isolate-s pecific fingerprinting patterns and were easily distinguished from one another, thus it was considered that (CAC)(5) was a highly resolvable and informative probe for cestodes. However, it was also indicated th at (CAC)(5) was so sensitive that applying fingerprinting with (CAC)(5 ) to taxonomical or phylogenetic analysis was limited where habitat of the host was restricted to the small area. in comparison to fingerpri nting with P-32-labeled (CAC)(5), fingerprinting with digoxigenated (C AC)(5) represented more and sharper bands. It was considered that a di goxigenated probe was more useful for genetic analysis of cestodes.