F. Mahboudi et al., Identification and differentiation of Iranian Leishmania species by PCR amplification of kDNA, SC J IN DIS, 33(8), 2001, pp. 596-598
We describe the specific identification of Leishmania species in Iran using
PCR DNA amplification of kDNA. For this purpose, we designed a pair of pri
mers - upstream 5 ' TCGCAGAACGCCCCTACC 3 ' and downstream 5 ' -AGGGGTTGGT-G
TAAAATAGGC 3 ' - specific for conserved sequences of kDNA of Leishmania. Us
ing this primer, we identified 3 different amplified fragments from the kDN
A of the WHO reference Leishmania species. Two bands at 620 and 850 bp were
identified for L. major (MRHO/IR/64/Nadim-1 strain) and only 1 band at 620
bp was identified for L. major (P strain). Therefore, we could differentia
te 2 Leishmania species. Also, 1 band at 830 bp was identified for L. tropi
ca (MHOM/Sudan/58/OD strain). We determined the sequence analysis of 2 DNA
bands (620 and 850 bp) obtained from kDNA of L. major ((MRHO/IR/64/Nadim-1)
. A total of 157 bp from the 5 ' site and 234 bp from the 3 ' site were seq
uenced and showed about 28% homology between 620 and 850 bp fragments. This
technique could amplify as little as I fg of DNA and was used to different
iate kDNA samples isolated from Iranian patients with. cutaneous leishmania
sis. These data indicate that the primer used for PCR amplification of kDNA
is specific and can be used for diagnostic and epidemiological purposes.