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Matos, G.M.* ; Lewis, M.D.* ; Talavera Lopez, C.N. ; Yeo, M.* ; Grisard, E.C.* ; Messenger, L.A.* ; Miles, M.A.* ; Andersson, B.*

Microevolution of Trypanosoma cruzi reveals hybridization and clonal mechanisms driving rapid genome diversification.

eLife 11:e75237 (2022)
Publ. Version/Full Text DOI PMC
Open Access Gold
Creative Commons Lizenzvertrag
Protozoa and fungi are known to have extraordinarily diverse mechanisms of genetic exchange. However, the presence and epidemiological relevance of genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, has been controversial and debated for many years. Field studies have identified both predominantly clonal and sexually recombining natural populations. Two of six natural T. cruzi lineages (TcV and TcVI) show hybrid mosaicism, using analysis of single-gene locus markers. The formation of hybrid strains in vitro has been achieved and this provides a framework to study the mechanisms and adaptive significance of genetic exchange. Using whole genome sequencing of a set of experimental hybrids strains, we have confirmed that hybrid formation initially results in tetraploid parasites. The hybrid progeny showed novel mutations that were not attributable to either (diploid) parent showing an increase in amino acid changes. In long-term culture, up to 800 generations, there was a variable but gradual erosion of progeny genomes towards triploidy, yet retention of elevated copy number was observed at several core housekeeping loci. Our findings indicate hybrid formation by fusion of diploid T. cruzi, followed by sporadic genome erosion, but with substantial potential for adaptive evolution, as has been described as a genetic feature of other organisms, such as some fungi.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
Keywords Trypanosoma Cruzi ; Comparative Genomics ; Genetic Exchange ; Genetics ; Genomics ; Hybrid Formation ; Infectious Disease ; Microbiology ; Microevolution ; Recombination
ISSN (print) / ISBN 2050-084X
e-ISSN 2050-084X
Journal eLife
Quellenangaben Volume: 11, Issue: , Pages: , Article Number: e75237 Supplement: ,
Publisher eLife Sciences Publications
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Institute of Computational Biology (ICB)
Grants CAPES
Swedish Research Council