Mycobacterium leprae diversity and population dynamics in medieval Europe from novel ancient genomes
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Published:2021-10-05
Issue:1
Volume:19
Page:
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ISSN:1741-7007
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Container-title:BMC Biology
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language:en
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Short-container-title:BMC Biol
Author:
Pfrengle Saskia, Neukamm Judith, Guellil Meriam, Keller Marcel, Molak Martyna, Avanzi Charlotte, Kushniarevich Alena, Montes Núria, Neumann Gunnar U., Reiter Ella, Tukhbatova Rezeda I., Berezina Nataliya Y., Buzhilova Alexandra P., Korobov Dmitry S., Suppersberger Hamre Stian, Matos Vitor M. J., Ferreira Maria T., González-Garrido Laura, Wasterlain Sofia N., Lopes Célia, Santos Ana Luisa, Antunes-Ferreira Nathalie, Duarte Vitória, Silva Ana Maria, Melo Linda, Sarkic Natasa, Saag Lehti, Tambets Kristiina, Busso Philippe, Cole Stewart T., Avlasovich Alexei, Roberts Charlotte A., Sheridan Alison, Cessford Craig, Robb John, Krause Johannes, Scheib Christiana L., Inskip Sarah A., Schuenemann Verena J.ORCID
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions with around 200,000 new cases reported annually. Despite its long history and appearance in historical records, its origins and past dissemination patterns are still widely unknown. Applying ancient DNA approaches to its major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, can significantly improve our understanding of the disease’s complex history. Previous studies have identified a high genetic continuity of the pathogen over the last 1500 years and the existence of at least four M. leprae lineages in some parts of Europe since the Early Medieval period.
Results
Here, we reconstructed 19 ancient M. leprae genomes to further investigate M. leprae’s genetic variation in Europe, with a dedicated focus on bacterial genomes from previously unstudied regions (Belarus, Iberia, Russia, Scotland), from multiple sites in a single region (Cambridgeshire, England), and from two Iberian leprosaria. Overall, our data confirm the existence of similar phylogeographic patterns across Europe, including high diversity in leprosaria. Further, we identified a new genotype in Belarus. By doubling the number of complete ancient M. leprae genomes, our results improve our knowledge of the past phylogeography of M. leprae and reveal a particularly high M. leprae diversity in European medieval leprosaria.
Conclusions
Our findings allow us to detect similar patterns of strain diversity across Europe with branch 3 as the most common branch and the leprosaria as centers for high diversity. The higher resolution of our phylogeny tree also refined our understanding of the interspecies transfer between red squirrels and humans pointing to a late antique/early medieval transmission. Furthermore, with our new estimates on the past population diversity of M. leprae, we gained first insights into the disease’s global history in relation to major historic events such as the Roman expansion or the beginning of the regular transatlantic long distance trade. In summary, our findings highlight how studying ancient M. leprae genomes worldwide improves our understanding of leprosy’s global history and can contribute to current models of M. leprae’s worldwide dissemination, including interspecies transmissions.
Funder
University of Zurich’s University Research Priority Program “Evolution in Action: From Genomes to Ecosystems” the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (S-HEP) at the University of Tübingen Max-Planck Society European Regional Development Fund Estonian Research Council personal research grants Research Council personal research grants Wellcome Trust St John’s College, Cambridge National Science Centre in Poland H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Fondation Raoul Follereau Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Cell Biology,Developmental Biology,Plant Science,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Physiology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics,Structural Biology,Biotechnology
Reference166 articles.
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