High local diversity of Trypanosoma in a common bat species, and implications for the biogeography and taxonomy of the T. cruzi clade

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 30;9(9):e108603. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108603. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The Trypanosoma cruzi clade is a group of parasites that comprises T. cruzi sensu lato and its closest relatives. Although several species have been confirmed phylogenetically to belong to this clade, it is uncertain how many more species can be expected to belong into this group. Here, we present the results of a survey of trypanosome parasites of the bat Artibeus jamaicensis from the Panamá Canal Zone, an important seed disperser. Using a genealogical species delimitation approach, the Poisson tree processes (PTP), we tentatively identified five species of trypanosomes - all belonging to the T. cruzi clade. A small monophyletic group of three putative Trypanosoma species places at the base of the clade phylogeny, providing evidence for at least five independent colonization events of these parasites into the New World. Artibeus jamaicensis presents a high diversity of these blood parasites and is the vertebrate with the highest number of putative trypanosome species reported from a single locality. Our results emphasize the need for continued efforts to survey mammalian trypanosomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Chagas Disease / epidemiology
  • Chagas Disease / parasitology
  • Chagas Disease / veterinary*
  • Chiroptera / parasitology*
  • Genes, Protozoan*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Panama
  • Phylogeny*
  • Phylogeography
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / classification
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / genetics*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / isolation & purification

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KM406851
  • GENBANK/KM406852
  • GENBANK/KM406853
  • GENBANK/KM406854
  • GENBANK/KM406855
  • GENBANK/KM406856
  • GENBANK/KM406857
  • GENBANK/KM406858
  • GENBANK/KM406859
  • GENBANK/KM406860
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  • GENBANK/KM406881
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  • GENBANK/KM406883
  • GENBANK/KM406884
  • GENBANK/KM406885
  • GENBANK/KM406886
  • GENBANK/KM406887
  • GENBANK/KM406888
  • GENBANK/KM406889
  • GENBANK/KM406890
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  • GENBANK/KM406900
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  • GENBANK/KM406909
  • GENBANK/KM406910
  • GENBANK/KM406911
  • GENBANK/KM406912
  • GENBANK/KM406913
  • GENBANK/KM406914

Grants and funding

Field work was supported by STRI trust funds to EKVK, and field and laboratory work was funded by grants of the Promotionsprogramm in Experimental Medicine of the University of Ulm and the Cusanuswerk to VMC. Data analyses were supported by an Annette Kade Fellowship through the American Museum of Natural History to CMP and NSF-DDIG grant DEB-1311582 to SLP and CMP, and the German national Academic Foundation to VMC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.