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Mitotic evolution of Plasmodium falciparum shows a stable core genome but recombination in antigen families.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasites elude eradication attempts both within the human host and across nations. At the individual level, parasites evade the host immune responses through antigenic variation. At the global level, parasites escape drug pressure through single nucleotide variants and gene copy amplification events conferring drug resistance. Despite their importance to global health, the rates at which these genomic alterations emerge have not been determined. We studied the complete genomes of different Plasmodium falciparum clones that had been propagated asexually over one year in the presence and absence of drug pressure. A combination of whole-genome microarray analysis and next-generation deep resequencing (totaling 14 terabases) revealed a stable core genome with only 38 novel single nucleotide variants appearing in seventeen evolved clones (avg. 5.4 per clone). In clones exposed to atovaquone, we found cytochrome b mutations as well as an amplification event encompassing the P. falciparum multidrug resistance associated protein (mrp1) on chromosome 1. We observed 18 large-scale (>1 kb on average) deletions of telomere-proximal regions encoding multigene families, involved in immune evasion (9.5×10(-6) structural variants per base pair per generation). Six of these deletions were associated with chromosomal crossovers generated during mitosis. We found only minor differences in rates between genetically distinct strains and between parasites cultured in the presence or absence of drug. Using these derived mutation rates for P. falciparum (1.0-9.7×10(-9) mutations per base pair per generation), we can now model the frequency at which drug or immune resistance alleles will emerge under a well-defined set of assumptions. Further, the detection of mitotic recombination events in var gene families illustrates how multigene families can arise and change over time in P. falciparum. These results will help improve our understanding of how P. falciparum evolves to evade control efforts within both the individual hosts and large populations.

SUBMITTER: Bopp SE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3567157 | biostudies-other | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Mitotic evolution of Plasmodium falciparum shows a stable core genome but recombination in antigen families.

Bopp Selina E R SE Manary Micah J MJ Bright A Taylor AT Johnston Geoffrey L GL Dharia Neekesh V NV Luna Fabio L FL McCormack Susan S Plouffe David D McNamara Case W CW Walker John R JR Fidock David A DA Denchi Eros Lazzerini EL Winzeler Elizabeth A EA

PLoS genetics 20130207 2

Malaria parasites elude eradication attempts both within the human host and across nations. At the individual level, parasites evade the host immune responses through antigenic variation. At the global level, parasites escape drug pressure through single nucleotide variants and gene copy amplification events conferring drug resistance. Despite their importance to global health, the rates at which these genomic alterations emerge have not been determined. We studied the complete genomes of differ ...[more]

PMID: 23408914

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Project description:We used a high-density tiling array to estimate genetic recombination rate among 32 independent recombinant progeny of a P. falciparum genetic cross (7G8 M-CM-^W GB4). We detected 3184 segregating multi-probe single-feature polymorphisms (mSFPs) and 638 recombination events (496 excluding those from subtelomeric regions). These data, in combination with results from 254 previously reported microsatellites, enabled us to construct a high-resolution genetic map. Comparing genetic and physical maps, we obtained an overall recombination rate of 9.6 kb/cM (12.8 kb/cM excluding subtelomeric regions) and identified 54 hotspots, some of which occurred in genes encoding surface antigens or proteins with repetitive motifs that might play a role in genetic recombination in the parasite. Motifs enriched in hotspots were also identified. In agreement with results from a previous cross (HB3 M-BM-4 Dd2), there was positive correlation between sizes of individual chromosomes and their recombination events. These results show that the P. falciparum genome is highly recombinogenic, providing an important genetic basis for parasite survival under various selection pressures. GC-rich repetitive motifs identified in the hotspot sequences may play a role in the high recombination frequency observed. Ten microgram of genomic DNA, extracted and purified from 3D7 (reference), thirty-two P. falciparum independent recombinant progeny of the 7G8 x GB4 cross, and the two parental lines (Hayton, 2008), were hybridized to the PFSANGER GenechipM-BM-. (Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA). The scanned image CEL files were first processed using the RMA method, then averaged and compared with reference genome 3D7, and lastly assigned either 7G8 or GB4 alleles based on similarities to the two parental lines. Total of 35 genomic DNA samples (biological replicates: 6 for 3D7, 4 for 7G8, 4 for GB4, and 2 for Pf_WE2). The supplementary file 'GSE25656_QuantNormData_Log2_AllSamples.txt' contains the RMA-normalized data for all of the samples. The supplementary files 'GSE25656_chr*' contain the parental allele assignment of each chromosome and include probe-level annotation.

Dataset Information

Mitotic evolution of Plasmodium falciparum shows a stable core genome but recombination in antigen families.

Publications

Mitotic evolution of Plasmodium falciparum shows a stable core genome but recombination in antigen families.

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