Genome sequencing of the lizard parasite Leishmania tarentolae reveals loss of genes associated to the intracellular stage of human pathogenic species

The Leishmania tarentolae Parrot-TarII strain genome sequence was resolved to an average 16-fold mean coverage by next-generation DNA sequencing technologies. This is the first non-pathogenic to humans kinetoplastid protozoan genome to be described thus providing an opportunity for comparison with t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nucleic acids research 2012-02, Vol.40 (3), p.1131-1147
Main Authors: Raymond, Frédéric, Boisvert, Sébastien, Roy, Gaétan, Ritt, Jean-François, Légaré, Danielle, Isnard, Amandine, Stanke, Mario, Olivier, Martin, Tremblay, Michel J., Papadopoulou, Barbara, Ouellette, Marc, Corbeil, Jacques
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Gene Dosage
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Genes, Protozoan
Genome, Protozoan
Genomics
Lacertilia
Leishmania
Leishmania - genetics
Leishmania - growth & development
Leishmania tarentolae
Lizards - parasitology
Multigene Family
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Synteny
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Summary:The Leishmania tarentolae Parrot-TarII strain genome sequence was resolved to an average 16-fold mean coverage by next-generation DNA sequencing technologies. This is the first non-pathogenic to humans kinetoplastid protozoan genome to be described thus providing an opportunity for comparison with the completed genomes of pathogenic Leishmania species. A high synteny was observed between all sequenced Leishmania species. A limited number of chromosomal regions diverged between L. tarentolae and L. infantum, while remaining syntenic to L. major. Globally, >90% of the L. tarentolae gene content was shared with the other Leishmania species. We identified 95 predicted coding sequences unique to L. tarentolae and 250 genes that were absent from L. tarentolae. Interestingly, many of the latter genes were expressed in the intracellular amastigote stage of pathogenic species. In addition, genes coding for products involved in antioxidant defence or participating in vesicular-mediated protein transport were underrepresented in L. tarentolae. In contrast to other Leishmania genomes, two gene families were expanded in L. tarentolae, namely the zinc metallo-peptidase surface glycoprotein GP63 and the promastigote surface antigen PSA31C. Overall, L. tarentolae's gene content appears better adapted to the promastigote insect stage rather than the amastigote mammalian stage.
ISSN:0305-1048
1362-4962
DOI:10.1093/nar/gkr834