Leishmania major

The Leishmania parasite is an intracellular pathogen of the immune system targeting macrophages and dendritic cells. The disease Leishmaniasis affects the populations of 88 counties worldwide with symptoms ranging from disfiguring cutaneous and muco-cutaneous lesions that can cause widespread destruction of mucous membranes to visceral disease affecting the haemopoetic organs.

Data Downloads

The L. major Friedlin genome is 32.8Mb in size, with a karyotype of 36 chromosomes. The G+C content is approximately 63%. The Pathogen Genomics group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute played a major role in sequencing the genome of Leishmania major (see Ivens et al .). The sequence data were obtained by adopting several parallel approaches, including complete cosmid sequencing, whole chromosome shotguns and/or BAC sequencing/skimming.

Published Genome Data

The Pathogen Genomics group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute played a major role in the genome sequencing of Leishmania major Friedlin, sequencing 24 of the 36 chromosomes. Six of the remaining chromosomes were sequenced by SBRI (Seattle, USA) and the other six by the EULEISH consortium.

The sequence data were obtained by adopting several parallel approaches, including complete cosmid sequencing, whole chromosome shotguns and/or BAC sequencing/skimming.

The L. major Friedlin cosmid library was constructed by Jon Warner using genomic DNA isolated by Deborah Smith. The cLHYG vector was a gift from its creator Steve Beverley. A BAC library has also been made by Peter Myler.

Bibliography

  • The genome of the kinetoplastid parasite, Leishmania major.

    Ivens AC, Peacock CS, Worthey EA, Murphy L, Aggarwal G, Berriman M, Sisk E, Rajandream MA, Adlem E, Aert R, Anupama A, Apostolou Z, Attipoe P, Bason N, Bauser C, Beck A, Beverley SM, Bianchettin G, Borzym K, Bothe G, Bruschi CV, Collins M, Cadag E, Ciarloni L, Clayton C, Coulson RM, Cronin A, Cruz AK, Davies RM, De Gaudenzi J, Dobson DE, Duesterhoeft A, Fazelina G, Fosker N, Frasch AC, Fraser A, Fuchs M, Gabel C, Goble A, Goffeau A, Harris D, Hertz-Fowler C, Hilbert H, Horn D, Huang Y, Klages S, Knights A, Kube M, Larke N, Litvin L, Lord A, Louie T, Marra M, Masuy D, Matthews K, Michaeli S, Mottram JC, Müller-Auer S, Munden H, Nelson S, Norbertczak H, Oliver K, O'neil S, Pentony M, Pohl TM, Price C, Purnelle B, Quail MA, Rabbinowitsch E, Reinhardt R, Rieger M, Rinta J, Robben J, Robertson L, Ruiz JC, Rutter S, Saunders D, Schäfer M, Schein J, Schwartz DC, Seeger K, Seyler A, Sharp S, Shin H, Sivam D, Squares R, Squares S, Tosato V, Vogt C, Volckaert G, Wambutt R, Warren T, Wedler H, Woodward J, Zhou S, Zimmermann W, Smith DF, Blackwell JM, Stuart KD, Barrell B and Myler PJ

    Science (New York, N.Y.) 2005;309;5733;436-42

    PUBMED: 16020728; PMC: 1470643; DOI: 10.1126/science.1112680

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Data Use Statement

This sequencing centre plans on publishing the completed and annotated sequences in a peer-reviewed journal as soon as possible. Permission of the principal investigator should be obtained before publishing analyses of the sequence/open reading frames/genes on a chromosome or genome scale. See our data sharing policy.

Sequencing enquiries

Please address all sequencing enquiries to: pathinfo@sanger.ac.uk

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