Ribosomal DNA sequences in the differentiation of pathogenic and non-pathogenic isolates ofEntamoeba histolytica

Abstract

SUMMARYRecombinant ribosomal DNA sequences were amplified by PCR and used as probes to perform a fingerprint analysis of total DNA from differentEntamoeba histolyticaisolates. RFLPs obtained with one of the probes, R-1, support previous proposals that pathogenic and non-pathogenicE. histolyticaare closely related, yet genotypically distinct. Another probe, R-2, while not distinguishing between the two forms ofE. hystolytica, was able to differentiate between them andE. moshkovskii, which has morphologically identical cysts and trophozoites. A third probe, BR-1, identified strain-specific RFLPs.