Files and links (1)
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Phylogenomics from transcriptomic "bycatch" clarify the origins and diversity of avian trypanosomes in North America
PloS one, v 15(10), pp e0240062-e0240062
08 Oct 2020
PMID: 33031471
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The eukaryotic blood parasite genusTrypanosomaincludes several important pathogens of humans and livestock, but has been understudied in wildlife broadly. The trypanosomes that infect birds are in particular need of increased attention, as these parasites are abundant and globally distributed, yet few studies have addressed their evolutionary origins and diversity using modern molecular and analytical approaches. Of specific interest are the deep evolutionary relationships of the avian trypanosomes relative to the trypanosome species that are pathogenic in humans, as well as their species level diversity in regions where they have been understudied such as North America. Here, we address these unresolved areas of study using phylogenomic data for two species of avian trypanosomes that were isolated as "bycatch" from host transcriptome assemblies, as well as a large 18S DNA barcode sequence dataset that includes 143 novel avianTrypanosoma18S sequences from North America. Using a phylogenomic approach, we find that the avian trypanosomes are nested within a clade of primarily mammalian trypanosomes that includes the human pathogenTrypanosoma cruzi, and are paraphyletic with respect to the ruminant trypanosomeTrypanosoma theileri. DNA barcode sequences showed thatT.aviumand an unidentified small, non-striated trypanosome that was morphologically similar toT.everettiare each represented by highly abundant and divergent 18S haplotypes in North America. Community-level sampling revealed that additional species-levelTrypanosomalineages exist in this region. We compared the newly sequenced DNA barcodes from North America to a global database, and found that avianTrypanosoma18S haplotypes generally exhibited a marked lack of host specificity with at least oneT.aviumhaplotype having an intercontinental distribution. This highly abundantT.aviumhaplotype appears to have a remarkably high dispersal ability and cosmopolitan capacity to evade avian host immune defenses, which warrant further study.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Phylogenomics from transcriptomic "bycatch" clarify the origins and diversity of avian trypanosomes in North America
- Creators
- Spencer C. Galen - University of ScrantonJanus Borner - University of UlmSusan L. Perkins - City College of New YorkJason D. Weckstein - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- PloS one, v 15(10), pp e0240062-e0240062
- Publisher
- Public Library Science
- Number of pages
- 20
- Grant note
- 1811806 / Nation Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology 605728 / European Union; European Commission German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); Federal Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF) German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD); Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000581809800091
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85092641369
- Other Identifier
- 991019168851004721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Parasitology