The genomic fingerprinting of the coding region of the β-tubulin gene in Leishmania identification

We have demonstrated the polymorphism of the beta-tubulin gene region in Leishmania and its value in the identification of the parasite. In this work we have shown that the coding region of the gene has sufficient variation to accurately discriminate these parasites at the subgenus level. Nevertheless, intrasubgenus diversity, for particular restriction enzymes, was found in New World Leishmania belonging to the Leishmania subgenus. For instance, differences were found between mexicana and amazonensis strains. A unique pattern at the species level was found in particular species of both subgenera, e.g. L. (L.) major strain P and L. (L.) tropica belonging to the Leishmania subgenus, and L. (V.) panamensis strain LS94 from the Viannia subgenus. Particular endonucleases are diagnostic in Leishmania species discrimination as in the case of PvuII for the mexicana and amazonensis. This variation evidenced in the beta-tubulin gene region of Leishmania also occurred in other Kinetoplastida e.g. Trypanosoma cruzi, Leptomonas spp. and Crithidia spp. Moreover, these organisms showed a different genomic fingerprinting for the beta-tubulin gene among them and also Leishmania. Thus, the polymorphism of the coding region of the beta-tubulin gene can be used as a molecular marker for the identification of Leishmania. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.