FIG 7.

Relationship of BdRON2 and BmRON2 proteins with other RON2 proteins from closely related species. A phylogenetic tree constructed using RON2 protein sequences shows three broad relationships between the sequences used. The sequences of the RON2 proteins of T. gondii, N. caninum, and E. tenella are the most distinct from those of the proteins from the other parasites, forming a subgroup of their own. The RON2 proteins of the Plasmodium spp. used, especially the P. falciparum and P. reichenowi proteins, are most like each other. Although the sequences of the B. divergens and B. microti proteins group together, the RON2 protein sequence of B. divergens is most like that of B. bovis and T. parva, and the RON2 protein sequence of B. microti is distinct. The scale bar shows the length of the branch that relates to each 0.3 nucleotide difference per 100 nucleotides. The maximum likelihood values of each branch are indicated.