A new subtype of Entamoeba gingivalis: “E. gingivalis ST2, kamaktli variant”

Abstract

Entamoeba gingivalis is a protozoan that resides in the oral cavity. Using molecular biology techniques, we identified a novel organism that shares the same ecological niche as E. gingivalis. To differentiate this organism from E. gingivalis, we named it “kamaktli variant.” By sequencing the 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rRNA region, we demonstrated that kamaktli variant is 89% identical to E. gingivalis. To elucidate the relationship between kamaktli variant and E. gingivalis, we performed a phylogenetic analysis. Both taxa clustered in the same clade with high support, indicating that the amoebas are closely related (98/99/1.00, maximum parsimony/maximum likelihood/MrBayes, respectively). Given this information, we propose that these molecular differences between kamaktli variant and E. gingivalis ST1 are sufficient to distinguish them as independent subtypes, and we name the new subtype “E. gingivalis ST2, kamaktli variant.”.