In Vitro Generation of Leishmania Hybrids

Protozoan parasites in the genus Leishmania produce a broad spectrum of diseases in their human hosts. The strain and species-specific genes controlling these diverse clinical outcomes have remained poorly tractable using reverse genetics approaches. A cryptic sexual cycle involving a meiotic-like process has been described in Leishmania but is so far confined to parasites growing in the sand fly vector. Here, we describe the reproducible in vitro generation of hybrid clones using axenic culture forms of Leishmania tropica promastigotes. Analysis of SNPs marker inheritance and whole-genome sequencing data indicate that the progeny clones are full genomic hybrids. The demonstration that mating-competent forms arise in culture should facilitate experimental study of the mating biology of Leishmania and the generation of large numbers of recombinant parasites for positional cloning of important genes.