Sexual processes in the kinetoplastida

Abstract

SUMMARYThe commonly held view that the kinetoplastida, and in particular trypanosomes, are asexual is largely derived from the principle that an organism is asexual until proved sexual. If the basis for this view is examined in detail, it largely arises from the lack of morphologically distinguishable gametes, the difficulties encountered in visualizing chromosomes and a few experiments, using drug-resistant stocks, in which no recombination between stocks could be demonstrated. While it is clear that these organisms are able to reproduce asexually, the existence of a sexual cycle was, until recently, an entirely open question. The early work strongly suggests that any sexual process (in the species examined extensively at the morphological level) does not involve classical well-differentiated gametes and so must involve fusion of morphologically very similar cells. These findings taken together with the inability to visualize chromosomes and thereby identify meiosis, mean that classical methods are unable to detect any sexual process even if it did occur. This review examines the evidence provided by the experimental approaches which have been applied recently to the question of kinetoplastid sexuality. These approaches include isoenzyme studies and the analysis of possible genetic exchange by the use of selective markers (e.g. drug resistance). The results which these techniques have produced make it clear that the kinetoplastid protozoans cannot be regarded as a totally asexual group of organisms.