Molecular Characterization of Raphidascaris acus Isolated from Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in Lake Uluabat Based on DNA Sequences

Authors : Mine Keskin, Mehmet Oğuz Öztürk

Pages : 344-350

Doi:10.22392/actaquatr.1587716

View : 98 | Download : 183

Publication Date : 2025-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Molecular properties of species, which were already described morphologically and anatomically, comprise one of taxonomists` studies nowadays. Molecular properties of organisms are frequently used for identification of their taxonomic positions. Nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) regions, such as ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S, were successfully used as molecular markers for identification of anisakid nematodes. Raphidascaris acus (R. acus), a species of Anisakid nematode, is a cosmopolitan parasite that lives in digestive tracts of the host fishes from the families Esocidae, Salmonidae, Anguillidae, and Gadidae. Today, these parasite species have been described by researches using anatomical, morphological and molecular methods. 5.8S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence of R. acus, which was isolated from Esox lucius living in Lake Uluabat, was firstly identified in this study. The sequence data of the gene region confirmed the taxonomic position of the R. acus, which were already identified according to their anatomical and morphological structures. In addition, since the sequence of the 5.8S rDNA locus was defined, this study added to the characterization research of the R. acus genome. Furthermore, the obtained data contributed to the identification of genetic differences or variations among allopatric populations of the R. acus on both local and global scales.
Keywords : DNA, Esox lucius, PZR, Raphidascaris acus

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