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Experimental evidence for hybridization of closely related lineages in Plasmodium relictum

Palinauskas, Vaidas ; Bernotienė, Rasa ; Žiegytė, Rita ; Bensch, Staffan LU and Valkiūnas, Gediminas (2017) In Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 217. p.1-6
Abstract

Over 50 avian Plasmodium species have been described. However, PCR-based information shows much broader diversity of genetic lineages in these parasites. This discrepancy indicates insufficient knowledge about taxonomic diversity and boundaries of a single species in avian Plasmodium species. In recent taxonomy, most of genetically closely related lineages that share the same morphology and development patterns are attributed to the same biological species, but there is no information if these lineages are able to cross. This information is crucial to understand if these lineages form single or multiple evolutionary units. Due to presence of sexual process and sporogonic development of Plasmodium parasites in mosquitoes, self and... (More)

Over 50 avian Plasmodium species have been described. However, PCR-based information shows much broader diversity of genetic lineages in these parasites. This discrepancy indicates insufficient knowledge about taxonomic diversity and boundaries of a single species in avian Plasmodium species. In recent taxonomy, most of genetically closely related lineages that share the same morphology and development patterns are attributed to the same biological species, but there is no information if these lineages are able to cross. This information is crucial to understand if these lineages form single or multiple evolutionary units. Due to presence of sexual process and sporogonic development of Plasmodium parasites in mosquitoes, self and cross-fertilization can occur and be identified during the oocyst stage. We initiated in vivo hybridization experiments of two widespread Plasmodium relictum lineages (pSGS1 and pGRW11) in experimentally infected Culex pipiens pipiens form molestus mosquitoes. To study putative hybrid oocysts, we used a laser microdissection technique together with PCR-based analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. We demonstrate that both pSGS1 and pGRW11 lineages develop in infected mosquitoes in parallel, but also form hybrid oocysts of these two lineages. Our results are in accord to a recent global phylogeographic study of P. relictum that suggested that cross-fertilization between pSGS1 and pGRW11 might occur. This information helps to understand population structure, gene flow and the evolutionary process of haemosporidian parasites.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Avian malaria, Cross-fertilization, Hybrid, Mosquito, Oocyst, pGRW11, Plasmodium relictum, pSGS1
in
Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
volume
217
pages
6 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:28803842
  • wos:000413796000001
  • scopus:85027566938
ISSN
0166-6851
DOI
10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.08.002
project
Malaria in birds
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2a17d880-1858-4087-bb84-26635a8aeeb3
date added to LUP
2017-09-06 11:41:36
date last changed
2024-04-28 19:16:42
@article{2a17d880-1858-4087-bb84-26635a8aeeb3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Over 50 avian Plasmodium species have been described. However, PCR-based information shows much broader diversity of genetic lineages in these parasites. This discrepancy indicates insufficient knowledge about taxonomic diversity and boundaries of a single species in avian Plasmodium species. In recent taxonomy, most of genetically closely related lineages that share the same morphology and development patterns are attributed to the same biological species, but there is no information if these lineages are able to cross. This information is crucial to understand if these lineages form single or multiple evolutionary units. Due to presence of sexual process and sporogonic development of Plasmodium parasites in mosquitoes, self and cross-fertilization can occur and be identified during the oocyst stage. We initiated in vivo hybridization experiments of two widespread Plasmodium relictum lineages (pSGS1 and pGRW11) in experimentally infected Culex pipiens pipiens form molestus mosquitoes. To study putative hybrid oocysts, we used a laser microdissection technique together with PCR-based analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. We demonstrate that both pSGS1 and pGRW11 lineages develop in infected mosquitoes in parallel, but also form hybrid oocysts of these two lineages. Our results are in accord to a recent global phylogeographic study of P. relictum that suggested that cross-fertilization between pSGS1 and pGRW11 might occur. This information helps to understand population structure, gene flow and the evolutionary process of haemosporidian parasites.</p>}},
  author       = {{Palinauskas, Vaidas and Bernotienė, Rasa and Žiegytė, Rita and Bensch, Staffan and Valkiūnas, Gediminas}},
  issn         = {{0166-6851}},
  keywords     = {{Avian malaria; Cross-fertilization; Hybrid; Mosquito; Oocyst; pGRW11; Plasmodium relictum; pSGS1}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1--6}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology}},
  title        = {{Experimental evidence for hybridization of closely related lineages in Plasmodium relictum}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.08.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.08.002}},
  volume       = {{217}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}