Genomes of cryptic chimpanzee Plasmodium species reveal key evolutionary events leading to human malaria

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11078
• Publication Date: 2016-03-22T10:25:26Z
• Authors: Sesh A. Sundararaman; Lindsey J. Plende...; Weimin Liu; Dorothy E. Loy; Gerald H. Learn; Yingying Li; Katharina S. Shaw; Ahidjo Ayouba; Martine Peeters; Sheri Speede; George M. Shaw; Frederic D. Bushman; Dustin Brisson; Julian C. Rayner; Paul M. Sharp; Beatrice H. Hahn
• Keywords: Plasmodium (life cycle); Subgenus

Abstract African apes harbour at least six Plasmodium species of the subgenus Laverania , one which gave rise to human falciparum . Here we use a selective amplification strategy sequence genome chimpanzee parasites classified as reichenowi and gaboni based on subgenomic fragments. Genome-wide analyses show that these indeed represent distinct species, with no evidence cross-species mating. Both P. are 10-fold more diverse than indicating very recent origin parasite. We also find remarkable -specific expansion multigene family involved in erythrocyte remodelling, short region chromosome 4, encodes two essential invasion genes, was horizontally transferred into ancestor. Our results validate for characterizing cryptic pathogen reveal evolutionary events likely predisposed precursor colonize humans.