Abstract
A decade of genome sequencing has transformed our understanding of how trypanosomatid parasites have evolved and provided fresh impetus to explaining the origins of parasitism in the Kinetoplastida. In this review, I will consider the many ways in which genome sequences have influenced our view of genomic reduction in trypanosomatids; how species-specific genes, and the genomic domains they occupy, have illuminated the innovations in trypanosomatid genomes; and how comparative genomics has exposed the molecular mechanisms responsible for innovation and adaptation to a parasitic lifestyle.
Highlights
Trypanosomatids are unicellular flagellates and obligate parasites that infect various animals and plants
Other species of Trypanosoma and Leishmania infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, and all are transmitted by invertebrate vectors; predominantly these are biting insects, some aquatic species are transmitted by leeches (Lom, 1979)
In Trypanosoma, the 5′-most copy of a cation transporter gene array is preferentially expressed in the procyclic form (PCF) (Jensen et al 2009; Urbaniak et al 2012), while transcripts for all downstream copies are up-regulated in the bloodstream stage (Jensen et al 2009; Veitch et al 2010)
Summary
Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park Ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK (Received 30 January 2014; revised 23 April and 8 May 2014; accepted 8 May 2014; first published online 28 July 2014)
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