Recent discoveries have shed light on the genetic changes that enable the parasites causing sleeping sickness to expand their territory beyond Africa.
Implications of Climate Change
The implications of this research raise alarms about how climate change and efforts to control tsetse fly populations could spur genetic shifts in these life-threatening parasites.
If left untreated, sleeping sickness can be fatal.
Evolution of Trypanosomes
Traditionally, African trypanosomes—the culprits behind sleeping sickness—are spread through tsetse flies that inhabit sub-Saharan Africa.
However, scientists have observed that these parasites are evolving, now capable of infecting hosts without relying on tsetse flies at all.
Emerging strains of these parasites, capable of infecting animals, have already appeared in regions such as Asia, South America, and southern Europe.
This adaptation raises red flags about the potential for similar changes in the strains that threaten human health.
Research Findings
Previously, the specific molecular changes that allowed these more aggressive strains to emerge remained largely a mystery.
A research team from the University of Edinburgh embarked on a comprehensive study, analyzing over 80 trypanosome samples gathered from humans, tsetse flies, and various animal species.
By assembling this genetic data, they created a detailed family tree to depict the relationships among different parasite strains.
Through the innovative use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, the researchers delved into the molecular transformations that empower these parasites to spread independently of tsetse flies.
This exploration unveiled several critical mutations in genes integral to the parasites’ life cycles.
Identifying the specific genes and mutations driving this evolutionary trend is vital for developing measures to track and counter new virulent strains of the parasites, as emphasized by the research team.
These significant findings are shared in a study published in Nature Communications, supported by various funding bodies including the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Flemish Government.
The research also benefited from collaborative efforts with institutions such as the University of York, KU Leuven, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety.
Source: ScienceDaily