Understanding the Phylogenetics and Evolution of Genus Schistosoma- Africa and Asia Stand Point
Olugbenga Samson Onile *
Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Elizade University Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria and Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and Centre for Biotechnology Resources and Development (CENBRAD),Elizade University Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Benson Otarigho
Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Chiaka I. Anumudu
Cellular Parasitology Programme, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The evolutionary spread of schistosomes infection was reportedly prominent more in Africa and Asia continents. This study therefore examined the evolutionary trend of this parasite while limiting the investigation to Schistosoma species peculiar to this region of the world. The evolutionary history of this species group was inferred using DNA sequences from NCBI Genbank database and Maximum likelihood, Ancestral inference; Neighbor-Joining method analysis was employed in this study. All members of this species complex were AT rich, with S. mekongi and S. malayensis having the highest AT nucleotide composition. The smallest evolutionary divergence was also observed in S. curassoni and S. bovis. The finding of this study slightly contradict previous report on ancestral prediction of Schistosomes.
Keywords: Phylogenetics, evolution, Schistosoma, nucleotide