Selection of specific genotypes ofgiardia intestinalisby growthin vitroandin vivo

Abstract

SUMMARYThis study examined whether allelic changes observed when clinical isolates ofGiardia intestinalismade in suckling mice were adapted toin vitrogrowth occurred as a result of gene switching (alternate isoenzymes) or through selection of organisms with different genotypes from mixed infections. Samples were compared electrophoretically at 20 enzyme loci. Marked allelic differences were detected between the uncloned clinical isolates grown in mice and the axenic cultures established from them. Furthermore, the allelic profiles of the uncloned isolates changed during the course ofin vivoorin vitrogrowth. In contrast, all clones produced from each isolate retained identical allelic profiles, regardless of whether they were grownin vivoorin vitro. These findings argue against gene switching as an explanation for the observed allozyme changes and support preferential selection of organisms with specific genotypes by growth conditions. The data indicate the presence of at least 2 and possibly up to 4 distinct genotypes within each clinical isolate. The genetic differences detected between clinical isolates in suckling mice were of similar magnitude to those that separate different axenic isolates ofG. intestinalisinto cryptic species. Conversely, the genetic differences between the isolates were limited when sampled after establishmentin vitro. These findings have significant implications for research onGiardiaand other medically important parasites and raise the possibility that culture may exert a similar selective bias on the genotypes isolated from infections with other parasitic protozoa.