Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317022
Title: Phylogenomic and biogeographic reconstruction of the Trichinella complex

Author
item KORHONEN, PASI - University Of Melbourne
item POZIO, EDUARDO - Istituto Superiore Di Sanita
item LA ROSA, G - Istituto Superiore Di Sanita
item CHANG, BILL - Yourgene Bioscience
item KOEHLER, ANSON - University Of Melbourne
item Hoberg, Eric
item BOAG, PETER - Monash University
item JEX, A - University Of Melbourne
item HOFMANN, ANDREAS - University Of Melbourne
item STERNBERG, P - Howard Hughes Medical Institute
item YOUNG, N - University Of Melbourne
item GASSER, R - University Of Melbourne

Submitted to: Nature Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2015
Publication Date: 2/1/2016
Citation: Korhonen, P.K., Pozio, E., La Rosa, G., Chang, B., Koehler, A.V., Hoberg, E.P., Boag, P.R., Jex, A.R., Hofmann, A., Sternberg, P.W., Young, N.D., Gasser, R.B. 2016. Phylogenomic and biogeographic reconstruction of the Trichinella complex. Nature Genetics. 7.

Interpretive Summary: We studied roundworm parasites that cause a disease called trichinellosis and resolved their evolutionary history. The study was conducted because it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of diversity (species and their distributions) as a solid foundation to appreciate patterns of disease and the pathways involved in foodborne transmission to people. Studies were completed by a consortium of scientists at the University of Melbourne and other global facilities including the Beltsville Area Research Center of the Agricultural Research Service. In providing a complete and well supported view of Trichinella evolution, we make available an important resource that contributes to control and mitigation of potentially emergent disease and human infections. These studies will have interest and applications across the food-safety community, and among parasitologists exploring the impact of food-borne pathogens on the availability of a safe food supply.

Technical Abstract: Trichinellosis is a globally important food-borne parasitic disease of humans. It is caused by roundworms of the Trichinella complex. Extensive biodiversity is reflected in substantial ecological and genetic variability within and among taxa, and major controversy surrounds the systematics of this complex. Here, we characterise draft nuclear genomes (46-52 Mb) and transcriptomes of all recognized Trichinella taxa. We reconstruct their phylogeny and biogeography using thousands of orthologous gene sequences, and explore parasite-host relationships. We show that Trichinella taxa diverged from their most recent common ancestor 21 million years ago (mya), with taxon diversifications commencing 10-7 mya. We investigate selected excretory/secretory (ES) molecules likely involved in modulating host attack and affiliations. These molecular resources will accelerate post-genomic studies and underpin the design of new diagnostics and interventions against trichinellosis.