Zoonotic origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium malariae from African apes.

ABSTRACT: The human parasite Plasmodium malariae has relatives infecting African apes (Plasmodium rodhaini) and New World monkeys (Plasmodium brasilianum), but its origins remain unknown. Using a novel approach to characterise P. malariae-related sequences in wild and captive African apes, we found that this group comprises three distinct lineages, one of which represents a previously unknown, highly divergent species infecting chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas across central Africa. A second ape-derived lineage is much more closely related to the third, human-infective lineage P. malariae, but exhibits little evidence of genetic exchange with it, and so likely represents a separate species. Moreover, the levels and nature of genetic polymorphisms in P. malariae indicate that it resulted from the zo

SUBMITTER: Plenderleith LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8987028 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature