Genomic diversity of the human intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Entamoeba histolytica is a significant cause of disease worldwide. However, little is known about the genetic diversity of the parasite. We re-sequenced the genomes of ten laboratory cultured lines of the eukaryotic pathogen Entamoeba histolytica in order to develop a picture of genetic diversity across the genome.

Results

The extreme nucleotide composition bias and repetitiveness of the E. histolytica genome provide a challenge for short-read mapping, yet we were able to define putative single nucleotide polymorphisms in a large portion of the genome. The results suggest a rather low level of single nucleotide diversity, although genes and gene families with putative roles in virulence are among the more polymorphic genes. We did observe large differences in cove

SUBMITTER: Weedall GD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3446291 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature