Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i>
To date, only one case is known where protozoan parasites of the genus <i>Sarcocystis</i> were found to infect cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>); the cysts in the musculature were morphologically identified as <i>S. felis</i>. Here, we characterized sarcocysts by...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Zhe Liao Niuping Zhu Yurong Yang Shuangsheng Deng Thomas Jäkel Junjie Hu |
| author_facet | Zhe Liao Niuping Zhu Yurong Yang Shuangsheng Deng Thomas Jäkel Junjie Hu |
| author_sort | Zhe Liao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To date, only one case is known where protozoan parasites of the genus <i>Sarcocystis</i> were found to infect cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>); the cysts in the musculature were morphologically identified as <i>S. felis</i>. Here, we characterized sarcocysts by morphological and molecular methods that were observed in cheetahs who died in zoos in China. Only one type of sarcocyst was present in two of six cheetahs. By light microscopy, the sarcocyst wall was striated, 1.4–2.1 μm thick. Ultrastructurally, the wall had irregular-shaped, small villar protrusions, resembling wall type 9c, similar to those of <i>S. arctica</i>, <i>S. caninum</i>, and <i>S. felis</i>. The samples shared their highest molecular identity values with those of <i>S. arctica</i> and <i>S. caninum</i>: 99.9–100% and 99.8–100% (18S rRNA), 99.5% and 99.3–99.5% (28S rRNA), 95.9–97.5% and 96.3–97.3% (ITS-1), and 99.6% and 99.2–99.7% (<i>cox</i>1), respectively. Compared with ITS-1 of <i>S. felis</i>, identities ranged between 87.5% and 88.9%. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that the newly sequenced <i>Sarcocystis</i> clustered with <i>S. arctica</i> and <i>S. caninum</i>, whereas <i>S. felis</i> (ITS-1) and <i>S. canis</i> (ITS-1, 18S rRNA, <i>cox</i>1) were sister species. Thus, we addressed the <i>Sarcocystis</i> species from the cheetahs as <i>S. arctica</i>, which is the first record of a <i>Sarcocystis</i> species believed to be specific for canids as intermediate hosts to infect a feline host. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-0810b0fd9070451798fe2e906a89c38d2025-01-24T13:17:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115218010.3390/ani15020180Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i>Zhe Liao0Niuping Zhu1Yurong Yang2Shuangsheng Deng3Thomas Jäkel4Junjie Hu5Yunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology, Restoration of Degraded Environments, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaJoint Laboratory of Virology & Immunity, School of Biological Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, ChinaInstitute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyYunnan Key Laboratory for Plateau Mountain Ecology, Restoration of Degraded Environments, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, ChinaTo date, only one case is known where protozoan parasites of the genus <i>Sarcocystis</i> were found to infect cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>); the cysts in the musculature were morphologically identified as <i>S. felis</i>. Here, we characterized sarcocysts by morphological and molecular methods that were observed in cheetahs who died in zoos in China. Only one type of sarcocyst was present in two of six cheetahs. By light microscopy, the sarcocyst wall was striated, 1.4–2.1 μm thick. Ultrastructurally, the wall had irregular-shaped, small villar protrusions, resembling wall type 9c, similar to those of <i>S. arctica</i>, <i>S. caninum</i>, and <i>S. felis</i>. The samples shared their highest molecular identity values with those of <i>S. arctica</i> and <i>S. caninum</i>: 99.9–100% and 99.8–100% (18S rRNA), 99.5% and 99.3–99.5% (28S rRNA), 95.9–97.5% and 96.3–97.3% (ITS-1), and 99.6% and 99.2–99.7% (<i>cox</i>1), respectively. Compared with ITS-1 of <i>S. felis</i>, identities ranged between 87.5% and 88.9%. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that the newly sequenced <i>Sarcocystis</i> clustered with <i>S. arctica</i> and <i>S. caninum</i>, whereas <i>S. felis</i> (ITS-1) and <i>S. canis</i> (ITS-1, 18S rRNA, <i>cox</i>1) were sister species. Thus, we addressed the <i>Sarcocystis</i> species from the cheetahs as <i>S. arctica</i>, which is the first record of a <i>Sarcocystis</i> species believed to be specific for canids as intermediate hosts to infect a feline host.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/180carnivore intermediate hostultrastructurenuclear 18S rRNA28S rRNAITS-1mitochondrial <i>cox</i>1 |
| spellingShingle | Zhe Liao Niuping Zhu Yurong Yang Shuangsheng Deng Thomas Jäkel Junjie Hu Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> Animals carnivore intermediate host ultrastructure nuclear 18S rRNA 28S rRNA ITS-1 mitochondrial <i>cox</i>1 |
| title | Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> |
| title_full | Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> |
| title_fullStr | Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> |
| title_short | Morphological and Molecular Identification of <i>Sarcocystis arctica</i> in Captive Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in China Helps Clarify Phylogenetic Relationships with <i>Sarcocystis caninum</i> and <i>Sarcocystis felis</i> |
| title_sort | morphological and molecular identification of i sarcocystis arctica i in captive cheetahs i acinonyx jubatus i in china helps clarify phylogenetic relationships with i sarcocystis caninum i and i sarcocystis felis i |
| topic | carnivore intermediate host ultrastructure nuclear 18S rRNA 28S rRNA ITS-1 mitochondrial <i>cox</i>1 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/180 |
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