Phylogenetic character mapping of RADES Probing, a new marker for exploring the clonal evolution of expressed coding sequences in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2013-10, Vol.19, p.287-291
• Main Authors: Telleria, J., Barnabé, C., Ayala, F.J., Tibayrenc, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - parasitology; DNA; DNA probe; DNA, Protozoan - chemistry; DNA, Protozoan - genetics; electrophoresis; Evolution, Molecular; gels; gene expression regulation; Genes, Protozoan - genetics; Genetic marker; genetic markers; Hybridization; Infectious disease; natural selection; nucleotide sequences; Parasite; parasites; Phylogeny; population structure; random amplified polymorphic DNA technique; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique - methods; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - classification; Trypanosoma cruzi - genetics
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.03.027

•We survey a standardized set of Trypanosoma cruzi stocks representative of the whole phylogenetic diversity of the parasite.•We present the use of a new genetic marker, called « RADES-probe » (RADES-P).•We show that RADES-P diversity is highly correlated to the known intraspecific phylogenetic diversity of T. cruzi.•We present the evolutionary inferences that can be deducted from our results. We have tested a new genetic marker, RADES Probing (RADES-P), on a standard sample of 19 laboratory-cloned stocks of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease. This set of stocks, fully characterized using multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), is representative of this parasite’s main genetic subdivisions. RADES-P consists in hybridizing RAPD profiles with probes composed of the products of random amplified differentially expressed sequences (RADES). The profiles thus obtained uncover only expressed coding sequences that are as well present on RAPD gels. Direct visual examination and the banding record show that these RADES-P profiles are different of, and not redundant with, both RAPD and RADES patterns obtained on the same set of stocks with the same primers. Phylogenetic character mapping (PCM) of the RADES-P polymorphism fairly confirms the known population structure and phylogenetic diversity of T. cruzi. This suggests that the impact of clonal evolution on T. cruzi has been predominant enough over the long term to carve the polymorphism of all types of DNA sequences, including polymorphisms of expressed coding sequences, although these sequences are subject to natural selection.