Paramecium - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Protozoologie / German ...

Primer development for the detection of the genus Paramecium
with special focus on the Paramecium aurelia –
complex
Madlen Häntzsch, Thomas U. Berendonk, Martin Schlegel, Detlef
Bernhard
Institut für Biologie II, Universität Leipzig
The genus Paramecium is one of the best-known and intensively studied
taxon within the Ciliophora. Due to their cosmopolitan distribution,
their importance for water purification and their easy cultivation,
Paramecium species have become important model organisms. Although
the members of the genus Paramecium possess unique morphological
characteristics, molecular methods are an additional opportunity
for species determination, especially for non-specialists.
Therefore, we present a set of primers which enable the unambiguous
and easy assignment of ciliates belonging to the genus Paramecium.
In addition, we present results on the development of hierarchic
multiplex primers, which will allow the simultaneous detection of
representatives belonging to the genus Paramecium as well as to the
Paramecium aurelia –complex. Furthermore, the P. aurelia – complex
was investigated in more detail. We sequenced about 2200bp
including the whole SSU rDNA and partial ITS- regions of 13 species
within the P. aurelia - complex. Based on these sequences, further
species-specific primers will be developed to discriminate these morphological
undistinguishable species.
haentzsch@rz.uni-leipzig
tberendonk@rz.uni-leipzig
schlegel@rz.uni-leipzig
bernhard@rz.uni-leipzig
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