Molecular characterization of a new microvariant of the G3 genotype for Echinococcus granulosus in water buffalo in Iran

Abstract

In this study, molecular characterization of <em>Echinococcus granulosus</em> sample obtained from water buffalo originating from southwest of Iran was performed using comparative sequence analysis of <em>cox</em>1 mitochondrial gene. DNA was extracted from protoscoleces removed from hydatid cyst from the liver of a 2-year-old male buffalo slaughtered in Khuzestan province. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on<em> cox</em>1 mitochondrial gene. We found the presence of a new microvariant of G3 genotype for <em>E. granulosus </em>in Iran which isgenetically differentiated from reference G3 sequence (M84663).The difference was a transition mutation of adenine to guanine in position 214 (A214G) resulting in a substitution of the threonine (ACT) by alanine (GCT). These findings extend the knowledge of heterogeneity and distribution of G3 genotype for <em>E. granulosus</em> in world.