What happens when Trypanosoma brucei leaves Africa.
Julius Lukes and co-workers evaluated the evolutionary origin of Trypanosoma equiperdum and Trypanosoma evansi, parasites that cause horse and camel diseases. Although similar to T. brucei, the sleeping-sickness parasite, these trypanosomes do not cycle through the tsetse fly and have been able to spread beyond Africa. Transmission occurs sexually, or via blood-sucking flies or vampire bats. They concluded that these parasites, which resemble yeast petite mutants, are T. brucei sub-species, which have evolved recently through changes in mitochondrial DNA.
Jensen
Robert E
RE
Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Simpson
Larry
L
Englund
Paul T
PT
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial