Genetic variation within and between human, rat and mouse-derived Pneumocystis carinii.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Genetic variation within and between human, rat and mouse-derived Pneumocystis carinii.

Abstr Gen Meet Am Soc Microbiol. 1994;94:590 (abstract no. F-10). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASM94/94313114
Keely SP; Pai HJ; Sunkin SM; Baughman R; Sidman CL; Stringer SL; Stringer JR; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio.

Abstract: Pneumocystis carinii is an opportunistic pulmonary pathogen that causes P. carinii pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised individuals and is the major cause of death in AIDS patients. The organism thrives in a wide variety of mammals and is generally referred to as P. carinii regardless of host species. Recent reports indicate that genetic differences exist between organisms isolated from humans, ferrets and rats and that genetically distinct organisms can propagate within a single host. In order to further examine this diversity within and between host species we have sequenced a portion of the thymidylate synthase (TS) and mitochondrial large subunit rRNA (mrRNA) genes of P. carinii. P. carinii TS and mrRNA genes were sequenced and compared from organisms derived from scid mice, immuno-suppressed rats and AIDS patients. Novel P. carinii TS and mrRNA sequences were attained from each of these hosts. Nucleotide variation of these two genes within a single host was detected in humans and rats, but not in mice. Specifically, TS and mrRNA sequences showed deletions and point mutations in P. carinii isolated from rats. Sequence at the 3' end of numerous human P. carinii mrRNA genes revealed nucleotide base substitutions. Human P. carinii TS and mrRNA sequences were shown to be equally divergent from homologous genes of P. carinii rat and mouse-derived organisms. Surprisingly, nucleotide alignments of the P. carinii TS and mrRNA genes show that P. carinii from rats are as equally divergent from each other as they are from mouse P. carinii. Taken together, these data show that humans, rats and mice harbor distinct forms of P. carinii, that nucleotide polymorphisms occur within a single host, and that organisms isolated from these three mammalian hosts are probably different species of P. carinii.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS Animal Base Sequence Comparative Study *Genes, Fungal Human Mice Mice, SCID Pneumocystis carinii/*GENETICS/ISOLATION & PURIF Pneumocystis carinii Infections/ETIOLOGY/*MICROBIOLOGY Point Mutation Rats RNA, Fungal/GENETICS Sequence Deletion Thymidylate Synthetase/GENETICS *Variation (Genetics) ABSTRACT
941030
M94A0840

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