Demonstration of genetic exchange during cyclical development of Leishmania in the sand fly vector.
Genetic exchange has not been shown to be a mechanism underlying the extensive diversity of Leishmania parasites. We report here evidence that the invertebrate stages of Leishmania are capable of having a sexual cycle consistent with a meiotic process like that described for African trypanosomes. Hybrid progeny were generated that bore full genomic complements from both parents, but kinetoplast DNA maxicircles from one parent. Mating occurred only in the sand fly vector, and hybrids were transmitted to the mammalian host by sand fly bite. Genetic exchange likely contributes to phenotypic diversity in natural populations, and analysis of hybrid progeny will be useful for positional cloning of the genes controlling traits such as virulence, tissue tropism, and drug resistance.
Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Natalia S
NS
Akopyants
Nicola
N
Kimblin
Nagila
N
Secundino
Rachel
R
Patrick
Nathan
N
Peters
Phillip
P
Lawyer
Deborah E
DE
Dobson
Stephen M
SM
Beverley
David L
DL
Sacks
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000469:parasitology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D016054:DNA, Protozoan