Genomic Analysis of Two Phlebotomine Sand Fly Vectors of Leishmania from the New and Old World

• Published in: bioRxiv
• Main Authors: Mcdowell, Mary Ann, Labbé, Frédéric, Abdeladhim, Maha, Abrudan, Jenica, Araki, Alejandra Saori, Araujo, Ricardo N, Arensburger, Peter, Beniot, Joshua B, Brazil, Reginaldo Pecanha, Bruno, Rafaela V, Gustavo Bueno Da Silva Rivas, Vinicius Carvalho De Abreu, Charamis, Jason, Coutinho-Abreu, Iliano, Da Costa-Latgé, Samara G, Darby, Alistair, Dillon, Viv, Emrich, Scott J, Fernandez-Medina, Daniela, Nelder Figueiredo Gontijo, Flannley, Catherine M, Gatherer, Derek, Genta, Fernando A, Gesing, Sandra, Giraldo-Calderón, Gloria I, Gomes, Bruno, Eric Roberto Guimaraes Rocha Aguiar, Hamarsheh, Omar, Hawksworth, Mallary, Hendershot, Jacob M, Hickner, Paul V, Imler, Jean-Luc, Ioannidis, Panagiotis, Jennings, Emily C, Kamhawi, Shaden, Karageorgiou, Charikleia, Kennedy, Ryan C, Krueger, Andreas, Latorre-Estivalis, José M, Ligoxgakis, Petros, Meireles-Filho, Antonio Carlos A, Miranda, Jose Carlos, Montague, Michale, Nowling, Ronald J, Oliveira, Fabiano, Ortigão-Farias, João, Pavan, Marcio G, Pereira, Marcos Horacio, Andree Nobrega Pitaluga, Olmo, Roenick Proveti, Ramalho-Ortigao, Marcelo, Jose Marcos Ribeiro, Rosendale, Andrew J, Sant'anna, Mauricio Rv, Scherer, Steven E, Secundino, Nagila Fc, Shoue, Douglas A, Da Silva Moraes, Caroline, João Moledo Gesto, Souza, Nataly Araujo, Zainulabueddin Syed, Tadros, Samuel, Teles-De-Freitas, Rayane, Telleria, Erich L, Tomlinson, Chad, Traub-Cseko, Yara, João Trindade Marques, Tu, Zhijian, Unger, Maria F, Valenzuela, Jesus, Viana Ferreira Flavia, Vieira De Oliveira Karla Pollyanna, Vigoder, Felipe M, Vontas, John, Wang, Lihui, Weedel, Gareth, Zhioua, Elyes, Warren, Wesley C, Waterhouse, Robert M, Dillon, Rod J
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 05.10.2022
• Subjects: Chemoreception; Circadian rhythms; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Detoxification; Disease control; Genetic diversity; Genomes; Genomic analysis; Leishmania; Orthology; Parasitic diseases; Pesticide resistance; Population genetics; Population structure; Protozoa; Synteny; Vector-borne diseases; Vectors; Visceral leishmaniasis
• DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.05.510924

Phlebotomine sand flies are of global significance as important vectors of human disease, transmitting bacterial, viral, and protozoan pathogens, including the devastating kinetoplastid parasites of the genus Leishmania, the causative agents of diseases collectively termed leishmaniasis. More than 40 pathogenic Leishmania species are transmitted to humans by approximately 35 sand fly species in 98 countries with hundreds of millions of people at risk around the world. As no approved efficacious vaccine exists, available drugs are expensive and/or toxic, and resistance is emerging, management of sand fly populations to break transmission is currently the most effective disease control strategy. To better understand the biology of sand flies, including the mechanisms involved in their vectorial capacity, insecticide resistance, and population structures we sequenced the genomes of two of the most important sand fly species: Phlebotomus papatasi, a cutaneous leishmaniasis vector, (distributed in the Middle East and North Africa) and Lutzomyia longipalpis, a visceral leishmaniasis vector (distributed across Central and South America). We categorized and curated genes involved in processes important to their roles as disease vectors, including chemosensation, blood feeding, circadian rhythm, immunity, and detoxification, as well as mobile genetic elements. We also defined gene orthology and observed micro-synteny among the genomes. Finally, we present the genetic diversity and population structure of these species in their respective geographical areas. These genomes will be a foundation on which to base future efforts to prevent vector-borne transmission of Leishmania parasites. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.