Abstract
Kinetoplastid parasites of the Leishmania genus cause several forms of leishmaniasis. Leishmania species pathogenic to human are separated into two subgenera, Leishmania (Leishmania) and L. (Viannia). Species from the Viannia subgenus cause predominantly cutaneous leishmaniasis in Central and South America, occasionally leading to more severe clinical presentations. Although the genomes of several species of Leishmania have been sequenced to date, only one belongs to this rather different subgenus. Here we explore the unique features of the Viannia subgenus by sequencing and analyzing the genome of L. (Viannia) panamensis. Against a background of conservation in gene content and synteny, we found key differences at the genomic level that may explain the occurrence of molecular processes involving nucleic acid manipulation and differential modification of surface glycoconjugates. These differences may in part explain some phenotypic characteristics of the Viannia parasites, including their increased adaptive capacity and enhanced metastatic ability.
Highlights
Kinetoplastid parasites of the Leishmania genus cause several forms of leishmaniasis
It is thought to be caused by a variety of factors that may contribute to enhance the metastatic ability of the parasites[2], including their infection by a specific retrovirus called Leishmania RNA virus (LRV)[3]
It is important to mention that we found repeat families similar or related to telomere-associated mobile elements (TATEs) located in internal positions of chromosomes, both in L. panamensis and L. braziliensis, indicating that these elements may not be associated with telomeres as suggested by their name
Summary
Kinetoplastid parasites of the Leishmania genus cause several forms of leishmaniasis. The Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus encompasses several species distributed across the Neotropics, including L. braziliensis, L. guyanensis, L. panamensis and L. peruviana This subgenus was defined by Lainson and Shaw[1] based on differences in the site of propagation of promastigotes inside the digestive tract of the insect vector. These species primarily cause cutaneous leishmaniasis, but the parasites may occasionally migrate to nasopharyngeal tissues leading to highly disfiguring lesions in a presentation known as mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. In Panama, there are about 3,000 new cases per year, 5% of which progress to the mucocutaneous presentation
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