Multilocus sequence and microsatellite identification of intra-specific hybrids and ancestor-like donors among natural Ethiopian isolates of Leishmania donovani

Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) cause widespread and devastating human diseases. Visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in Ethiopia where it has also been responsible for fatal epidemics. It is postulated that genetic exchange in Leishmania has implications for heterosis (hybrid vigour), spread of virulent strains, resistance to chemotherapeutics, and exploitation of different hosts and vectors. Here we analyse 11 natural Ethiopian Leishmania donovani isolates consisting of four putative hybrids, seven parent-like isolates and over 90 derived biological clones. We apply a novel combination of high resolution multilocus microsatellite typing (five loci) and multilocus sequence typing (four loci) that together distinguish parent-like and hybrid L. donovani strains. Results indicate that the four isolates (and their associated biological clones) are genetic hybrids, not the results of mixed infections, each possessing heterozygous markers consistent with inheritance of divergent alleles from genetically distinct Ethiopian L. donovani lineages. The allelic profiles of the putative hybrids may have arisen from a single hybridisation event followed by inbreeding or gene conversion, or alternatively from two or more hybridisation events. Mitochondrial sequencing showed uniparental maxicircle inheritance for all of the hybrids, each possessing a single mitochondrial genotype. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis of DNA content demonstrated that all hybrids and their associated clones were diploid. Together the data imply that intra-specific genetic exchange is a recurrent feature of natural L. donovani populations, with substantial implications for the phyloepidemiology of Leishmania.     

不同毒力差异基因型的新生隐球菌MLST分型及交配型鉴定研究

目的：了解及比较两组毒力差异明显的新生隐球菌格鲁比变种的多位点序列分型（MLST）的特点并进行交配型鉴定。方法采用多位点序列分型（MLST）的方法,设计7个看家基因（CAP59,GPD1,LAC1,PLB1,SOD1,URA5和IGS1）的引物,扩增并分析来源分别为环境和临床的各10株新生隐球菌格鲁比变种的基因型,并鉴定实验菌株交配型,与多位点微卫星分型（MLMT）结果对比,比较不同基因分型方法在分类中的稳定性和可靠性。结果在微卫星分型中为MLMT-36的10株环境分离株,MLST分型为ST-15,而在微卫星分型中为MLMT-13型的10株临床分离株,MLST分型为ST-32,所有菌株交配型均为MAT-α。结论MLST分型结果与MLMT分型结果高度一致,提示以上两种分子分型技术在真菌分类鉴定研究中可显示对于其分离背景及进化来源的高分辨率及稳定性。