Evolution of Trypanosoma cruzi: clarifying hybridisations, mitochondrial introgressions and phylogenetic relationships between major lineages.

ABSTRACT: Several different models of Trypanosoma cruzi evolution have been proposed. These models suggest that scarce events of genetic exchange occurred during the evolutionary history of this parasite. In addition, the debate has focused on the existence of one or two hybridisation events during the evolution of T. cruzi lineages. Here, we reviewed the literature and analysed available sequence data to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among these different lineages. We observed that TcI, TcIII and TcIV form a monophyletic group and that TcIII and TcIV are not, as previously suggested, TcI-TcII hybrids. Particularly, TcI and TcIII are sister groups that diverged around the same time that a widely distributed TcIV split into two clades (TcIVS and TcIVN). In addition, we collected evidence tha

SUBMITTER: Tomasini N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4489478 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature