Case Study
Submitted By
| Name: | Sandeep Malhotra |
| Institution: | Zoology Department, University of Allahabad |
| Country: | India |
| Email: | sandyversity@gmail.com |
Title & Categories
| Case Study Title: | Bar coding of helminthes from vertebrate hosts in the Gangetic plains |
| Focus Theme: | Experimental application of barcodes to a new taxonomic group, Experimental application of barcodes to a new taxonomic group, Biotic inventory of multiple taxa in a region or habitat |
| Geographic Region: | Unspecified, Oceania, Arctic, Southern Asia |
| Habitat Type: | Marine nearshore benthos, Marine deep ocean benthos, Marine continental slope benthos, Marine continental shelf benthos, Terrestrial tropical forest, Terrestrial montane, Terrestrial cultivated land, Terrestrial - Other, Freshwater streams, Freshwater rivers, Freshwater rivers, Freshwater lakes, Freshwater - Other, Terrestrial grasslands |
| Taxonomic Group: | d: Mollusca, d: Cnidaria, c: Pteridophyta, d: Nemata, d: INVERTEBRATES, d: Platyhelminthes |
Scope
The bar coding applications would encompass specifically tapeworms and nematodes harboured by freshwater fishes, reptiles viz. lizards and snakes, avian hosts including resident and migratory birds, rodents and larger mammals and ruminants from the districts at the bank of River Ganges. The species and specimens would belong to members of Caryophyllidea, Pseudophyllidea, Diphyllidea, Lecanicephalidea, Proteocephalidea and Cyclophyllidea, among cestodes, and worms of the orders Trichuridea, Dioctophymidea, Strongylidea, Oxyuridea, Ascarididea and Spiruridea among nematodes.
Estimate of Duration- 3 years (May, 2008-July, 2011).Cost of the project- INR104.314
Purpose
DNA barcode structure of the proposed tapeworms and roundworm groups amongst helminthes has not been analysed in India till date. The significance of the knowledge of such information is critical for inventorization and documentation of helminth taxa in establishing the biodiversity of helminths in Indian context. Therefore, ambiguity about systematic status of a variety of taxa has resulted into repeated duplication of data over the years on helminthes in this country. Despite serious reminders to helminth taxonomists during different Taxonomic Symposia/Conferences and Workshops, the capacity building efforts have failed to initiate a concerted effort for validation of helminth taxa in India by utilizing continuous inputs from DNA Sequencing technique.Therefore, lack of proper genetic information on valid helminth taxa of pathogenic significance have acted as a serious constraint to employ effective disease control by determined attempts, on prevalence of helminthes, that are being incessantly transmitted to other non-infected hosts viz. fishes, amphibian, replites, birds and mammals including human beings. There is thus an urgent need firstly, to prepare a barcode directory of these helminth taxa. The Investigator has the experience of having reported proteocephalids bearing zoonotic potential (Malhotra and Chatterjee, 1996). In view of human linked transmission strategies adopted by the helminth parasites, the name and systematic position of the disease agent as well as the transmission pattern of parasite through edible fish hosts are crucial for their control.
Background
Bar coding project on cestode and nematode identification and systematics has never been undertaken in the country though fewer groups of helminthes have been put to test in other parts of the world. Anshu Malhotra (2008; Unpublished D.Phil. thesis, submitted from this lab to the University of Allahabad) under the investigator and other co-workers have recently taken up bar code analysis of a variety of helminthes harboured by aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate hosts, parimarily of food significance, in the two biogeographically different areas of India, namely, Central West Coast of India at Goa and the Gangetic plains around Allahabad. The phylogeny of two nematode parasites have been worked out on the basis of sequence analysis and their sequences are ready for submission to a centralized database. But these have not all been organized operations due to lack of any specific financial assistance for DNA sequencing work from any of the funding agencies in India or abroad. BibliographyDecreamer.465.http://www.personal.pseudu/users/n//nci111/.Malhotra, Anshu. 2008. Dynamics and Analysis of the Role of Genotoxins as Microbial Biocontrol Agents in Sustainable Aquaculture and Microbe-Parasite Interactions in Certain Vertebrate Hosts. 300pp. Unpubl. D.Phil. thesis, University of Allahabad.Malhotra, Sandeep K. and Anas, Md. 2001. Prof. V.N. Capoor Comm. Vol. G.B.P. Univ. Agric. & Tech.,46-50.Malhotra, Sandeep K. and Chatterjee, S. 1996. Parasitic Diseases – New Horizons. (eds. Banerjee, D.P., Ghosh, J.D. and Gupta, S.K.): 121-128. CCSHAU Pr., Hisar.
Logistics
Regular helminth collection in the Gangetic plains has continued in this laboratory since last 6 decades, partly by predecessors and later by PI himself (3 decades) under 15 funded research projects. Therefore, the twin resources of specimens of parasitic helminthes include- i.) continuous collection of fresh specimens ii) preserved specimens. Researchers from outside Allahabad contact PI regularly for identification of cestodes and nematodes which thus await processing for DNA sequencing analysis because of inadequate instrumental facilities to handle bulk specimens. Future collections planned under forthcoming DBT funded project-Biotechnological Transfer of Technology to Ensure Strengthening of Resources in Apiculture & Integrated Duck-Fish-Scampi Culture.DNA sequencing (Rostellascaris-alien nematode) is being regularly undertaken in PI’s lab, on a collaborative basis, since last 2 years. Focus is on Data Management to conclude phylogeographic lineages to establish phylogenetic and evolutionary linkages amongst cestode and nematode taxa groupings.The expertise to carry out PCR related primer analysis and DNA sequence analysis already exists in lab.Costs Required- Equipments:Gel Electrophoresis System,DNA Sequencer,Thermocycler, UV Spectrophotometer,Monopan Electrical balance,MilliQ Distillation Assembly(INR17.85 lakhs).Chemicals:Primers & Molecular/Sequencing Grade Chemicals, Glassware, Contingency & miscellaneous (INR13.70 lakhs); Research Personnel:Research Associate, Junior Research Fellow-3, Lab Assistant & Field Attendants-2(INR19.764 lakhs);Travel(INR3 lakhs)