Phylogenetic diversity of parabasalian symbionts from termites, including the phylogenetic position of Pseudotrypanosoma and Trichonympha

Abstract

The phylogenetic diversity of parabasalian flagellates from termite hindguts has been examined by small subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplification and sequencing. Two species of particular interest, the giant trichomonad Pseudotrypanosoma giganteum and the hypermastigote Trichonympha magna, were isolated from the gut of Porotermes adamsoni by micropipetting, and the rRNA genes from these small populations amplified and sequenced. rRNA genes representing Hypermastigida and the Trichomonadida families Devescovinidae and Trichomonadidae, were also recovered by amplification from whole hindguts of three termites, P. adamsom, Cryptotermes brevis, and Cryptotermes dudleyi. The parabasalian rRNA ge..