The Korean Journal of Parasitology  2009;47(3):287-291

doi:10.3347/kjp.2009.47.3.287

Evaluation of alpha-Tubulin as an Antigenic and Molecular Probe to Detect Giardia lamblia.

Juri KIM 1 ; Myeong Heon SHIN ; Kyoung Ju SONG ; Soon Jung PARK

Affiliations

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Keywords

Giardia lamblia; alpha-tubulin; immunofluorescence assay; PCR-RFLP

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

The alpha/beta-tubulin heterodimer is the basic subunit of microtubules in eukaryotes. Polyclonal antibodies specific to recombinant alpha-tubulin of Giardia lamblia were made, and found effective as a probe to specifically detect G. lamblia by immunofluorescence assays. Nucleotide sequences of alpha-tubulin genes were compared between G. lamblia WB and GS strains, prototypes of assemblage A and assemblage B, respectively. A set of primers was designed and used to amplify a portion of the alpha-tubulin gene from G. lamblia. PCR-RFLP analysis of this alpha-tubulin PCR product successfully differentiated G. lamblia into 2 distinct groups, assemblages A and B. The results indicate that alpha-tubulin can be used as a molecular probe to detect G. lamblia.