Population structure and geographical subdivision of theLeishmania majorvectorPhlebotomus papatasias revealed by microsatellite variation

Abstract

Multi-locus microsatellite typing (MLMT) has been employed to infer the population structure of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae) sandflies and assign individuals to populations. Phlebotomus papatasi sandflies were collected from 35 sites in 15 countries. A total of 188 P. papatasi individuals were typed using five microsatellite loci, resulting in 113 different genotypes. Unique microsatellite signatures were observed for some of the populations analysed. Comparable results were obtained when the data were analysed with Bayesian model and distance-based methods. Bayesian statistic-based analyses split the dataset into two distinct genetic clusters, A and B, with further substructuring within each. Population A consisted of five subpopulations representing large numbers of alleles that were correlated with the geographical origins of the sandflies. Cluster B comprised individuals collected in the Middle East and the northern Mediterranean area. The subpopulations B1 and B2 did not, however, show any further correlation to geographical origin. The genetic differentiation between subpopulations was supported by F statistics showing statistically significant (Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.005) values of 0.221 between B2 and B1 and 0.816 between A5 and A4. Identification of the genetic structure of P. papatasi populations is important for understanding the patterns of dispersal of this species and to developing strategies for sandfly control.

Profiling of Human Acquired Immunity Against the Salivary Proteins of Phlebotomus papatasi Reveals Clusters of Differential Immunoreactivity

“…Marzouki and others12 performed experiments using a Tunisian strain of P. papatasi but performed identifications using the same approximate database of protein sequences. It follows logically that our MS analysis yielded matches with higher degrees of confidence compared with the study by Marzouki and others,12 which used a population of differential phylogenetic origin42 from the common protein database. Abdeladhim and others41 recently performed an exhaustive analysis of the Tunisian strain P. papatasi salivary proteome through translated Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) alignments of RNA transcripts to the same common protein sequence database.…”

“…Marzouki and others12 found that the majority of their donors exhibited positive reactivity to salivary proteins at ∼12, 15, 21, 28, 30, 36, and 44 kDa. Sand fly vectors in Tunisia are phylogenetically distinct from sand flies endemic to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel, which are part of a separate, albeit somewhat heterogeneous, population 42. The laboratory-reared P. papatasi used in the present study originated from Israel.…”

Courtship behaviour of Phlebotomus papatasi the sand fly vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis

“…Genetic analyses indicates that, in comparison to L. longipalpis P. papatasi is genetically homogeneous throughout its geographical range [10,51,52] although other evidence suggests a more heterogenous population substructure [53]. If all P. papatasi are reproductively compatible, they probably produce similar signals and there would be no requirement for complex audio signals during copulation, or for populations to produce different sex pheromones, as occurs in L. longipalpis [54].…”

Genotype Profile of Leishmania major Strains Isolated from Tunisian Rodent Reservoir Hosts Revealed by Multilocus Microsatellite Typing

“…In addition, it was also shown a correlation between genetic diversity of L. major parasites and their geographic origin [21], [22]. This relationship (geographic dependence) was explained by the genetic diversity of parasite vectors [39] and/or rodent reservoir species present in study areas. It should be noted that these assumptions have never been verified previously.…”