Unusual electrophoretic patterns for phosphoglucomutase and fumarase in a population of Lecithochirium rufoviride (Trematoda: Hemiuridae), a parasite of Conger conger

J Parasitol. 2001 Jun;87(3):709-11. doi: 10.1645/0022-3395(2001)087[0709:UEPFPA]2.0.CO;2.

Abstract

Electrophoretic analyses of phosphoglucomutase (PGM) and fumarase (FH) in a population of Lecithochirium rufoviride parasitizing Conger conger, revealed 2 independent activity zones for each enzyme on starch gel electrophoresis. However, some individuals exhibited only 1 activity zone for 1 or both enzymes. The banding patterns observed strongly suggest that (1) PGM is coded by 2 polymorphic loci, Pgm-1 (expressed in all individuals) with allelic frequencies not significantly different from those expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and Pgm-2 (expressed in a subset of individuals); and (2) FH is coded by 2 loci, Fh-2 (monomorphic and expressed in all individuals) and Fh-1 (expressed in a subset of individuals). A high degree of concordance (88.75%) was observed between the expression and nonexpression of Pgm-2 and Fh-1. The most likely explanations for these findings are either variation in enzyme expression with developmental stage or the presence of null alleles at high frequencies in the population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Eels / parasitology*
  • Electrophoresis, Starch Gel / veterinary
  • Fish Diseases / parasitology*
  • Fumarate Hydratase / analysis*
  • Fumarate Hydratase / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Gene Frequency
  • Phosphoglucomutase / analysis*
  • Phosphoglucomutase / genetics
  • Trematoda / enzymology*
  • Trematoda / genetics
  • Trematode Infections / parasitology
  • Trematode Infections / veterinary*

Substances

  • Fumarate Hydratase
  • Phosphoglucomutase