Genome sequences of the human body louse and its primary endosymbiont provide insights into the permanent parasitic lifestyle

E. F. Kirkness, B. J. Haas, W. Sun, H. R. Braig, M. A. Perotti, J. M. Clark, S. H. Lee, H. M. Robertson, R. C. Kennedy, E. Elhaik, D. Gerlach, E. V. Kriventseva, C. G. Elsik, D. Graur, C. A. Hill, J. A. Veenstra, B. Walenz, J. M. C. Tubio, J. M. C. Ribeiro, J. Rozas, J. S. Johnston, J. T. Reese, A. Popadic, M. Tojo, D. Raoult, D. L. Reed, Y. Tomoyasu, E. Kraus, O. Mittapalli, V. M. Margam, H.-M. Li, J. M. Meyer, R. M. Johnson, J. Romero-Severson, J. P. VanZee, D. Alvarez-Ponce, F. G. Vieira, M. Aguade, S. Guirao-Rico, J. M. Anzola, K. S. Yoon, J. P. Strycharz, M. F. Unger, S. Christley, N. F. Lobo, M. J. Seufferheld, N. Wang, G. A. Dasch, C. J. Struchiner, G. Madey, L. I. Hannick, S. Bidwell, V. Joardar, E. Caler, R. Shao, S. C. Barker, S. Cameron, R. V. Bruggner, A. Regier, J. Johnson, L. Viswanathan, T. R. Utterback, G. G. Sutton, D. Lawson, R. M. Waterhouse, J. C. Venter, R. L. Strausberg, M. R. Berenbaum, F. H. Collins, E. M. Zdobnov, B. R. Pittendrigh
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2010-06-21; 107(27): 12168-12173
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003379107


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Kirkness EF(1), Haas BJ, Sun W, Braig HR, Perotti MA, Clark JM, Lee SH, Robertson
HM, Kennedy RC, Elhaik E, Gerlach D, Kriventseva EV, Elsik CG, Graur D, Hill CA,
Veenstra JA, Walenz B, Tubío JM, Ribeiro JM, Rozas J, Johnston JS, Reese JT,
Popadic A, Tojo M, Raoult D, Reed DL, Tomoyasu Y, Kraus E, Mittapalli O, Margam
VM, Li HM, Meyer JM, Johnson RM, Romero-Severson J, Vanzee JP, Alvarez-Ponce D,
Vieira FG, Aguadé M, Guirao-Rico S, Anzola JM, Yoon KS, Strycharz JP, Unger MF,
Christley S, Lobo NF, Seufferheld MJ, Wang N, Dasch GA, Struchiner CJ, Madey G,
Hannick LI, Bidwell S, Joardar V, Caler E, Shao R, Barker SC, Cameron S, Bruggner
RV, Regier A, Johnson J, Viswanathan L, Utterback TR, Sutton GG, Lawson D,
Waterhouse RM, Venter JC, Strausberg RL, Berenbaum MR, Collins FH, Zdobnov EM,
Pittendrigh BR.

Author information:
(1)J Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.

Erratum in
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Apr 12;108(15):6335. Krause, Emily [corrected to
Kraus, Emily].

As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus)
is an important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing
fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences of the body louse and
its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The body louse
has the smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite its status as an
obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal insect repertoire of
10,773 protein-coding genes and 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous
insects, the genome of the body louse thus provides a reference for studies of
holometabolous insects. Compared with other insect genomes, the body louse genome
contains significantly fewer genes associated with environmental sensing and
response, including odorant and gustatory receptors and detoxifying enzymes. The
unique architecture of the 18 minicircular mitochondrial chromosomes of the body
louse may be linked to the loss of the gene encoding the mitochondrial
single-stranded DNA binding protein. The genome of the obligatory louse
endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola encodes less than 600 genes on a
short, linear chromosome and a circular plasmid. The plasmid harbors a unique
arrangement of genes required for the synthesis of pantothenate, an essential
vitamin deficient in the louse diet. The human body louse, its primary
endosymbiont, and the bacterial pathogens that it vectors all possess genomes
reduced in size compared with their free-living close relatives. Thus, the body
louse genome project offers unique information and tools to use in advancing
understanding of coevolution among vectors, symbionts, and pathogens.

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus