Objective(s): Fascioliasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by liver fluke species of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. Differentiation of these two species, based on their morphological characteristics, is difficult. The current study aimed to use PCR-RFLP assay to distinguish between F. hepatica and F. gigantica , based on profiles of RFLP, produced by effect of endo...

DNA sequencing analyses have demonstrated relatively limited polymorphisms within the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions among Trichophyton spp. We sequenced the ITS region (ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2) for 42 dermatophytes belonging to seven species (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, T. soudanense, T. tonsurans, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis, and M. gypseum) and deve...

Ceratocystis platani is the causal agent of canker stain of plane trees, a lethal disease able to kill mature trees in one or two successive growing seasons. The pathogen is a quarantine organism and has a negative impact on anthropogenic and natural populations of plane trees. Contaminated sawdust produced during pruning and sanitation fellings can contribute to disease spread. The goal of thi...

Available genomic data for the toxic, bloom-forming, benthic Ostreopsis spp. are traditionally obtained from isolates rather than from individuals originally present in environmental samples. Samples from the final phase of the first reported Ostreopsis bloom in European North Atlantic waters (Algarve, south coast of Portugal) were studied and characterized, using a culture-independent approach...

The worldwide-distributed aquatic fungus Articulospora tetracladia Ingold is a dominant sporulating species in streams of the Northwest Iberian Peninsula. To elucidate the genetic diversity of A. tetracladia, we analyzed isolates collected from various types of plant litter or foam in streams from North and Central Portugal and North Spain, between 2000 and 2010. Genetic diversity of these fung...

BACKGROUND While DNA barcoding is an important technology for the authentication of the botanical origins of Chinese medicines, the suitable markers for DNA barcoding of the genus Uncaria have not been reported yet. This study aims to determine suitable markers for DNA barcoding of the genus Uncaria (Gouteng). METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from the freshly dried leaves of Uncaria plants b...

Anopheles crucians Wiedemann (sensu lato) was investigated for the presence of cryptic species using rDNA ITS2 sequences. This complex of species presently contains the named species An. crucians, An. bradleyi King, and An. georgianus King. Adult female mosquitoes were collected at 28 sites in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana, resulting in 245 progeny broods...

Adulteration is a severe issue affecting the herbal industry. Therefore, robust tool needed to address this problem. In current study, Moringabased products (tea) authentication was conducted using DNA barcoding. Two different barcode regions, rbcL and ITS2, were investigated in terms of their effectiveness authenticating products. To proceed with barcoding, good quality gDNA prerequisite for P...