Extensive polymorphism at the Gp63 locus in field isolates of Leishmania peruviana

Genetic diversity within and between tandemly arrayed copies of the Gp63 gene occurs in laboratory isolates of Leishmania spp., but the extent to which this represents natural genetic diversity has not been assessed. Here, the Gp63 locus is examined in 58 fresh isolates of L. peruviana, and clones derived from them, collected throughout the Peruvian Andes. Extensive polymorphism is observed, both in size of Gp63 containing chromosomes, and for restriction-fragment-length polymorphisms (RFLPs) at the Gp63 locus. All clones within an isolate are identical, including those with two distinct Gp63-hybridising chromosomal-sized pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) bands, consistent with diploidy but with size differences in homologous chromosomes. For RFLP analysis, three enzymes were selected to cut within the coding region (PstI), in the intergenic region (SalI) and outside (EcoRI) the Gp63 gene cluster. PstI gave identical banding patterns across all isolates/clones. For EcoRI and SalI, all clones within an isolate were identical, but isolates were polymorphic for fragments at 13 (2-30 kb) and 8 (2.6-8.8 kb) different molecular mass locations generating 19 and 16 distinct RFLP patterns or genotypes for each enzyme, respectively. EcoRI restriction patterns, analysed by PFGE, were consistent with the presence of two clusters of Gp63 genes on each homologous chromosome, one contained within EcoRI fragments large enough to carry from 3 to 10 copies of the Gp63 gene, the second on fragments which could carry 1 or 2 copies of the gene. SalI patterns indicated variable restriction sites within clusters, but not within every intergenic region. A hierarchical analysis of variance of allele frequencies, expressed in terms of Wright's F-statistic, indicated significant barriers to gene flow at all levels, valleys within regions (north/south), villages within valleys, and individuals within villages. This extreme polymorphism at the Gp63 locus of L. peruviana demonstrates the great potential for generation of genetic diversity in parasite populations.