Haplotype identification within Trypanosoma cruzi I in Colombian isolates from several reservoirs, vectors and humans.

Genetic variability in the Trypanosoma cruzi I group has recently been revealed in Colombian isolates from humans, reservoirs and vectors. Genomic rearrangements and the polymorphic regions in taxonomic markers, such as the miniexon gene, have led to the development of molecular tools to identify phylogenetic haplotypes in T. cruzi isolates. From genetic polymorphisms found in T. cruzi I isolates, they have been classified into four haplotypes according to their epidemiologic transmission cycles. Haplotype Ia is associated with domestic isolates, from Rhodnius prolixus; haplotype Ib, with the domestic and peridomestic cycle, mainly associated with Triatoma dimidiata; haplotype Ic is a poorly characterized group, which has been associated with the peridomestic cycle; and haplotype Id has been related to the sylvatic cycle. In order to demonstrate that the circulating T. cruzi I isolates in Colombia can be classified in the four proposed haplotypes, specific primers were designed on polymorphic regions of the miniexon gene's intergenic sequences. This set of primers allowed the molecular characterization of 33 Colombian isolates, classifying them into three of the four proposed haplotypes (Ia, Ib and Id). Results obtained from maximum parsimony and maximum-likelihood-based phylogenetic analyses correlated with the molecular classification of the isolates and their transmission cycles. This study brings insights into the Chagas disease epidemiology and the parasite's transmission dynamics.

Genetic Variability and Phylogenetic Relationships within Trypanosoma cruzi I Isolated in Colombia Based on Miniexon Gene Sequences.

Phylogenetic studies of Trypanosoma cruzi have identified the existence of two groups: T. cruzi I and T. cruzi II. There are aspects that still remain unknown about the genetic variability within the T. cruzi I group. Given its epidemiological importance, it is necessary to have a better understanding of T. cruzi transmission cycles. Our purpose was to corroborate the existence of haplotypes within the T. cruzi I group and to describe the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships, based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found in the miniexon gene intergenic region, for the isolates from different hosts and epidemiological transmission cycles in Colombian regions. 31 T. cruzi isolates were molecularly characterized. Phylogenetic relationships within T. cruzi I isolates showed four haplotype groups (Ia-Id), associated with their transmission cycle. In previous studies, we reported that haplotype Ia is mainly associated with the domestic cycle and domiciliated Rhodnius prolixus. Haplotype Ib is associated with the domestic cycle and peridomestic cycle, haplotype Ic is closely related with the peridomestic cycle, and haplotype Id is strongly associated with the sylvatic cycle. The phylogenetic methodologies applied in this study are tools that bolster the associations among isolates and thus shed light on Chagas disease epidemiology.

Identifying four Trypanosoma cruzi I isolate haplotypes from different geographic regions in Colombia.

Trypanosoma cruzi has been classified into the groups T. cruzi I and T. cruzi II. The latter is subdivided into five smaller lineages based on multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and random amplified polymorphic DNA, designated as IIa-IIe, which shows correspondence with rRNA/mini-exon lineages. Twelve previously characterised T. cruzi isolates from different hosts, including humans, Didelphis marsupialis, and triatomines were analysed to establish genetic variability in T. cruzi group T. cruzi I isolates from different geographical regions of Colombia. DNA samples were sequenced based on the mini-exon gene intergenic region. Sequences were analysed using Clustal W, Staden 1.5 and MEGA3 software, and using reported sequences from the GenBank as reference. The genetic distances were analysed using Kimura's two-parameter model. The isolates' joint alignment was of 350bp, and the calculated nucleotide divergence was of 17.5%. The differences consisted of 23 transitions (7.2%), 14 transversions (4.4%) and 19 insertion-deletions (5.9%). The Colombian T cruzi I isolates revealed sufficient genetic variability for us to propose the existence of four haplotypes identified through single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion/deletion found in the mini-exon gene's non-transcribed spacer intergenic region.