Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 2, 2025
09:45
Ultrastructural Expansion Microscopy in Three In Vitro Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi
Published on: May 12, 2023
984
Microevolution and subspecific taxonomy of Trypanosoma cruzi
Michel Tibayrenc1, Francisco J Ayala2
1Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, MIVEGEC (IRD 224-CNRS 5290-UM1-UM2), Institut de Recherche Pour le Développement, BP 6450134394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Summary
Trypanosoma cruzi exhibits predominant clonal evolution (PCE), with occasional hybridization. This pattern, including Multigene Bifurcating Trees, is observed at both species and microevolutionary levels within lineages.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease, displays significant genetic diversity.
- It is currently classified into six main evolutionary lineages (or near-clades), with a seventh (TC-bat) recently identified.
- This diversity is largely attributed to predominant clonal evolution (PCE).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the microevolutionary patterns within T. cruzi near-clades.
- To determine if predominant clonal evolution (PCE) operates at finer population scales.
- To explore the implications of occasional hybridization on the clonal structure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized highly resolutive genetic markers, including microsatellites.
- Employed advanced genomic techniques such as sequencing and multi-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing.
- Analyzed population structure using Multigene Bifurcating Trees (MGBTs) and linkage disequilibrium analysis.
Main Results:
- Confirmed that PCE is also prevalent at the microevolutionary level within T. cruzi near-clades, exhibiting a "Russian doll pattern".
- Observed widespread clonal multilocus genotypes and lesser near-clades within each major lineage.
- Demonstrated that occasional meiosis and hybridization events do not disrupt the overall clonal framework.
Conclusions:
- The microevolutionary population structure of T. cruzi mirrors that of the species as a whole, suggesting gradual evolutionary processes.
- Further research is needed to assess the long-term stability of these finer-scale near-clades and their nomenclature.
- PCE is a fundamental evolutionary mechanism shaping T. cruzi diversity across multiple scales.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Diversity of Protists I
108
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
108
02:16Genetics of Speciation
19.5K
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
19.5K
02:54Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
6.1K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
6.1K
01:29Modern Molecular Taxonomy
117
Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
117
01:07Speciation Rates
21.3K
Overview
21.3K
01:24Eukaryotic Evolution
35.8K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
35.8K