Population genomics studies identify signatures of global dispersal and drug resistance in Plasmodium vivax

• Published in: Nature genetics Vol. 48; no. 8; pp. 953 - 958
• Main Authors: Hupalo, Daniel N, Luo, Zunping, Melnikov, Alexandre, Sutton, Patrick L, Rogov, Peter, Escalante, Ananias, Vallejo, Andrés F, Herrera, Sócrates, Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam, Fan, Qi, Wang, Ying, Cui, Liwang, Lucas, Carmen M, Durand, Salomon, Sanchez, Juan F, Baldeviano, G Christian, Lescano, Andres G, Laman, Moses, Barnadas, Celine, Barry, Alyssa, Mueller, Ivo, Kazura, James W, Eapen, Alex, Kanagaraj, Deena, Valecha, Neena, Ferreira, Marcelo U, Roobsoong, Wanlapa, Nguitragool, Wang, Sattabonkot, Jetsumon, Gamboa, Dionicia, Kosek, Margaret, Vinetz, Joseph M, González-Cerón, Lilia, Birren, Bruce W, Neafsey, Daniel E, Carlton, Jane M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01.08.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 45/23; 45/77; 631/208/457; 631/326/325; Agriculture; Allergies; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Datasets; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease; DNA; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance - genetics; Epidemiology; Gene Function; Genealogy; Genetic aspects; Genetic Markers - genetics; Genomes; Genomics; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Grants; Human Genetics; Humans; Infection control; Infections; Infectious diseases; Infrastructure; letter; Malaria; Malaria, Vivax - drug therapy; Malaria, Vivax - genetics; Malaria, Vivax - parasitology; Medical research; Metagenomics - methods; Methods; Military; Mortality; Mutation; Parasites; Plasmodium vivax; Plasmodium vivax - drug effects; Plasmodium vivax - genetics; Plasmodium vivax - pathogenicity; Population; Properties; Public health; Selection, Genetic - drug effects; Selection, Genetic - genetics; Studies; Surveillance; Transcriptome - genetics; Vector-borne diseases; Virulence (Microbiology); Mexico; Papua New Guinea
• ISSN: 1061-4036; 1546-1718; 1546-1718
• DOI: 10.1038/ng.3588

Jane Carlton, Daniel Neafsey and colleagues report a population genomics analysis of 182 Plasmodium vivax isolates from 11 countries. They find evidence of regional adaptation and signatures of selection at genes involved in antimalarial drug resistance. Plasmodium vivax is a major public health burden, responsible for the majority of malaria infections outside Africa. We explored the impact of demographic history and selective pressures on the P. vivax genome by sequencing 182 clinical isolates sampled from 11 countries across the globe, using hybrid selection to overcome human DNA contamination. We confirmed previous reports of high genomic diversity in P. vivax relative to the more virulent Plasmodium falciparum species; regional populations of P. vivax exhibited greater diversity than the global P. falciparum population, indicating a large and/or stable population. Signals of natural selection suggest that P. vivax is evolving in response to antimalarial drugs and is adapting to regional differences in the human host and the mosquito vector. These findings underline the variable epidemiology of this parasite species and highlight the breadth of approaches that may be required to eliminate P. vivax globally.