Development of nine microsatellite loci for Trypanosoma lewisi, a potential human pathogen in Western Africa and South-East Asia, and preliminary population genetics analyses
Issued Date
2022-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
28043871
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85197116147
Journal Title
Peer Community Journal
Volume
2
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Peer Community Journal Vol.2 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Ségard A., Romero A., Ravel S., Truc P., Dobigny G., Gauthier P., Etougbetche J., Dossou H.J., Badou S., Houéménou G., Morand S., Chaisiri K., Noûs C., de Meeûs T. Development of nine microsatellite loci for Trypanosoma lewisi, a potential human pathogen in Western Africa and South-East Asia, and preliminary population genetics analyses. Peer Community Journal Vol.2 (2022). doi:10.24072/pcjournal.188 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/99512
Title
Development of nine microsatellite loci for Trypanosoma lewisi, a potential human pathogen in Western Africa and South-East Asia, and preliminary population genetics analyses
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Abstract
Trypanosoma lewisi belongs to the so-called atypical trypanosomes that occasionally affect humans. It shares the same hosts and flea vector of other medically relevant pathogenic agents as Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague. Increasing knowledge on the population structure (reproductive mode, population size, dispersal) of this parasite thus represents a challenging but important issue. The use of polymorphic genetic markers, together with suitable population genetics tools, is a convenient way to achieve such objectives. To date, the population biology of T. lewisi is poorly known and, to our knowledge, no population genetics studies have ever been conducted. Here, we present the development of nine microsatellite markers of this species. We investigated their polymorphism in different countries from Africa and South-East Asia from DNAs extracted from the spleen of their rodent reservoirs (essentially rat species). Several amplification problems arose, especially with SouthEast Asian individuals. This led to retain only those individuals with complete genotypes (most of them originating from West Africa, notably Cotonou, Benin) to ensure an optimal estimate of het-erozygosity. Our results pointed towards a mainly (at least 95-99%) clonal mode of propagation, a strong subdivision at the smallest scale available (i.e., urban neighborhoods, i.e. 0.250 km²), and a generation time most probably shorter than 4 months. In future studies, more extensive sampling at smaller geographic scales (i.e., households), within a one-or two-months window and with improved amplification conditions, should lead to a more precise picture of the fine population structure of this parasite.