WILLAERTIA-MINOR IS A SPECIES OF NAEGLERIA - EVIDENCE THAT NAEGLERIA FLAGELLATES CAN DIVIDE

Riboprinting, or restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the PCR-amplified ribosomal RNA gene, demonstrates that Willaertia minor belongs to the genus Naegleria. The species differs from other Naegleria spp. in the ability to divide in the quadriflagellate stage, although there is evidence that division in the flagellate stage of Naegleria spp. was not recognized as such before. Strain WT043, on which the description of W. minor was based, harbors a DNA plasmid of approx. 6 kb of unknown identity.