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The genomes of Onchocerca volvulus.

T R Unnasch1, S A Williams

  • 1Division of Geographic Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA. trunnasch@geomed.dom.uab.edu

International Journal for Parasitology
|March 25, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Onchocerca volvulus, the cause of river blindness, has three genomes: nuclear, mitochondrial, and Wolbachia. Its genomes are compact with limited variation, suggesting a past genetic bottleneck.

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Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Parasitology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Onchocerca volvulus is a filarial parasite responsible for onchocerciasis (river blindness).
  • The parasite possesses three distinct genomes: nuclear, mitochondrial, and endosymbiotic Wolbachia.
  • Understanding these genomes is crucial for developing effective control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the nuclear, mitochondrial, and endosymbiont genomes of Onchocerca volvulus.
  • To analyze gene content, genome structure, and identify key genetic features.
  • To investigate intraspecific variation and its implications for parasite evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for gene identification.
  • Genome size and structure determination for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
  • Sequence analysis to identify gene features, introns, repeats, and codon bias.
  • Comparative genomics to assess intraspecific variation.

Main Results:

  • The Onchocerca volvulus nuclear genome is approximately 1.5x10^8 bp, containing around 4000 genes with compact structure and frequent small introns.
  • The mitochondrial genome is exceptionally compact (13,747 bp) with overlapping genes and significant codon bias.
  • Limited intraspecific variation was observed in both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
  • A tandemly arranged 150 bp repeat family was identified in the nuclear genome.

Conclusions:

  • The compact nature and limited variation of Onchocerca volvulus genomes suggest a recent genetic bottleneck.
  • Detailed genomic information provides insights into parasite biology and potential targets for intervention.
  • Further research into the concerted evolution of repetitive elements is warranted.

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