[Differentiation of schistosome species and strains by DNA hybridization]

Genomic DNA from Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum adult worms was hybridized to a 32p-labelled pSM 889 probe after cleavage by restriction endonuclease BglII, BamHI, XbaI and EcoRI, or to a 32p-labelled pSM 389 probe after cleavage by EcoRI. The resulting hybridization banding patterns were significantly different between the two species. Genomic DNA from S. japonicum adult worms of Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Yunnan isolates was hybridized to a 32p-labelled pSM 389 probe after cleavage by EcoRI. The major hybridization bands were identical while the minor bands were more or less different among the isolates. Of them, isolates Hunan, Hubei and Zhejiang have similar minor bands while isolates Jiangxi and Yunnan have minor bands significantly different from those of the above three isolates and also markedly distinct from those of each other. These results indicate that the major hybridization banding patterns are unique to schistosome species while the minor banding patterns may serve as the basis for strain differentiation.