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Morphological, Molecular, and Phylogenetic Characterization of Nosema ceranae , a Microsporidian Parasite Isolated from the European Honey Bee, Apis mellifera 1
Author(s) -
CHEN YANPING P.,
EVANS JAY D.,
MURPHY CHARLES,
GUTELL ROBIN,
ZUKER MICHAEL,
GUNDENSENRINDAL DAWN,
PETTIS JEFF S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2008.00374.x
Subject(s) - nosema ceranae , biology , microsporidia , nosema , polar filament , parasite hosting , microsporidiosis , midgut , malpighian tubule system , spore , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , world wide web , computer science , larva
.Nosema ceranae , a microsporidian parasite originally described from Apis cerana , has been found to infect Apis melllifera and is highly pathogenic to its new host. In the present study, data on the ultrastructure of N. ceranae , presence of N. ceranae ‐specific nucleic acid in host tissues, and phylogenetic relationships with other microsporidia species are described. The ultrastructural features indicate that N. ceranae possesses all of the characteristics of the genus Nosema . Spores of N. ceranae measured approximately 4.4 × 2.2 μm on fresh smears. The number of coils of the polar filament inside spores was 18–21. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) signals specific for N. ceranae were detected not only in the primary infection site, the midgut, but also in the tissues of hypopharyngeal glands, salivary glands, Malpighian tubules, and fat body. The detection rate and intensity of PCR signals in the fat body were relatively low compared with other examined tissues. Maximum parsimony analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene sequences showed that N. ceranae appeared to be more closely related to the wasp parasite, Nosema vespula , than to N. apis , a parasite infecting the same host.