Consistence of miniexon polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and single-copy gene sequence analyses in discriminating Leishmania genotypes

Forty-six independent isolates of Leishmania subgenus were examined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified miniexon sequences. The results were consistent with grouping of these isolates into species complexes based on sequence polymorphism of single-copy genes. Miniexon RFLP profiles specific to Leishmania enriettii, Leishmania tarentolae, and Leishmania gerbilli were obtained for the first time. The miniexon PCR-RFLP method is thus further confirmed as a simple, sensitive, and specific method useful for discriminating Leishmania isolates.