Response to Rougeron et al.: Leishmania population genetics: clonality, selfing and aneuploidy

Response to Tibayrenc et al.: can recombination in Leishmania parasites be so rare?

“…Moreover, methodological difficulties (in particular the strong evidence for aneuploidy in Leishmania) make it tentative to evidence selfing. We consider that the PCE model by far fits the best Leishmania population genetic data, which do not show any evidence of frequent sexual recombination [1]. The development of whole-genome sequencing will certainly help in clarifying parasite evolutionary patterns, as it has done in several major bacterial species [2].…”

“…The development of whole-genome sequencing will certainly help in clarifying parasite evolutionary patterns, as it has done in several major bacterial species [2]. The letter by Tibayrenc and Ayala [1] disagrees with several statements on the population genetics of Leishmania parasites that we recently published [2]. They consider that these parasites display a preponderant clonal evolution (PCE) model, suggesting no evidence of frequent sexual recombination, which is thus supposed to represent the best model fitting Leishmania population genetics data.…”

“…It is questionable to state that in some lineages (and possibly most lineages) of Leishmania sexual recombination is frequent [1], because the evidence against it is strong [2,3]. The studies cited to support sexual recombination [1], rather, deal with heterozygote deficit, which is considered as evidence for selfing.…”

“…The studies cited to support sexual recombination [1], rather, deal with heterozygote deficit, which is considered as evidence for selfing. Selfing leads to lack of recombination and LD, not to sexual recombination [2].…”

“…The efforts by Rougeron et al [1] to explore more finely the role played by selfing in Leishmania evolution are valuable. However, as recalled many times [2][3][4], selfing does not challenge the PCE model, since this model considers it as a particular case of clonality.…”