Phylogeny of bodonid and coccidian protozoa based on small subunit rRNA and conserved protein sequences

Our aim is to study phylogenetic relationship of selected bodonid and coccidian protozoa based on the small subunit (SSU) rRNA and conserved protein sequences. Primitive flagellates of the suborder Bodonia (order Kinetoplastida) represent important modelfor studies of the evolution of RNA editing, kinetoplast DNA structure, and the acquisition(s) of parasitism. The phylogenetic analysis of available free-living and parasitic species will be performed by means of the SSU rRNA and topoisomerase II gene sequences. In the second part of this project phylogenetic analysis of the SSU rRNA sequences of members of the subclass Coccidia (phylum Apicomplexa) parasitizing lower vertebrates will be performed. We will ude already available set of representative species that differ in the type of life cycle, morphology, and location in the host. Since so far, apicomplexan phylogeny is based only on morphology and the SSU rRNA data, we will search for another useful conserved gene.