Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia.
Sabah, Malaysia, has amongst the highest burden of human Plasmodium knowlesi infection in the world, associated with increasing encroachment on the parasite's macaque host habitat. However, the genomic make-up of P. knowlesi in Sabah was previously poorly understood. To inform on local patterns...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-03-01
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| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012885 |
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| author | Jacob A F Westaway Ernest Diez Benavente Sarah Auburn Michal Kucharski Nicolas Aranciaga Sourav Nayak Timothy William Giri S Rajahram Kim A Piera Kamil Braima Angelica F Tan Danshy A Alaza Bridget E Barber Chris Drakeley Roberto Amato Edwin Sutanto Hidayat Trimarsanto Jenarun Jelip Nicholas M Anstey Zbynek Bozdech Matthew Field Matthew J Grigg |
| author_facet | Jacob A F Westaway Ernest Diez Benavente Sarah Auburn Michal Kucharski Nicolas Aranciaga Sourav Nayak Timothy William Giri S Rajahram Kim A Piera Kamil Braima Angelica F Tan Danshy A Alaza Bridget E Barber Chris Drakeley Roberto Amato Edwin Sutanto Hidayat Trimarsanto Jenarun Jelip Nicholas M Anstey Zbynek Bozdech Matthew Field Matthew J Grigg |
| author_sort | Jacob A F Westaway |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sabah, Malaysia, has amongst the highest burden of human Plasmodium knowlesi infection in the world, associated with increasing encroachment on the parasite's macaque host habitat. However, the genomic make-up of P. knowlesi in Sabah was previously poorly understood. To inform on local patterns of transmission and putative adaptive drivers, we conduct population-level genetic analyses of P. knowlesi human infections using 52 new whole genomes from Sabah, Malaysia, in combination with publicly available data. We identify the emergence of distinct geographical subpopulations within the macaque-associated clusters using identity-by-descent-based connectivity analysis. Secondly, we report on introgression events between the clusters, which may be linked to differentiation of the subpopulations, and that overlap genes critical for survival in human and mosquito hosts. Using village-level locations from P. knowlesi infections, we also identify associations between several introgressed regions and both intact forest perimeter-area ratio and mosquito vector habitat suitability. Our findings provide further evidence of the complex role of changing ecosystems and sympatric macaque hosts in Malaysia driving distinct genetic changes seen in P. knowlesi populations. Future expanded analyses of evolving P. knowlesi genetics and environmental drivers of transmission will be important to guide public health surveillance and control strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8a3ff0e4de044eb81ca7efb17718a54 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8a3ff0e4de044eb81ca7efb17718a542025-08-20T02:32:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352025-03-01193e001288510.1371/journal.pntd.0012885Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia.Jacob A F WestawayErnest Diez BenaventeSarah AuburnMichal KucharskiNicolas AranciagaSourav NayakTimothy WilliamGiri S RajahramKim A PieraKamil BraimaAngelica F TanDanshy A AlazaBridget E BarberChris DrakeleyRoberto AmatoEdwin SutantoHidayat TrimarsantoJenarun JelipNicholas M AnsteyZbynek BozdechMatthew FieldMatthew J GriggSabah, Malaysia, has amongst the highest burden of human Plasmodium knowlesi infection in the world, associated with increasing encroachment on the parasite's macaque host habitat. However, the genomic make-up of P. knowlesi in Sabah was previously poorly understood. To inform on local patterns of transmission and putative adaptive drivers, we conduct population-level genetic analyses of P. knowlesi human infections using 52 new whole genomes from Sabah, Malaysia, in combination with publicly available data. We identify the emergence of distinct geographical subpopulations within the macaque-associated clusters using identity-by-descent-based connectivity analysis. Secondly, we report on introgression events between the clusters, which may be linked to differentiation of the subpopulations, and that overlap genes critical for survival in human and mosquito hosts. Using village-level locations from P. knowlesi infections, we also identify associations between several introgressed regions and both intact forest perimeter-area ratio and mosquito vector habitat suitability. Our findings provide further evidence of the complex role of changing ecosystems and sympatric macaque hosts in Malaysia driving distinct genetic changes seen in P. knowlesi populations. Future expanded analyses of evolving P. knowlesi genetics and environmental drivers of transmission will be important to guide public health surveillance and control strategies.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012885 |
| spellingShingle | Jacob A F Westaway Ernest Diez Benavente Sarah Auburn Michal Kucharski Nicolas Aranciaga Sourav Nayak Timothy William Giri S Rajahram Kim A Piera Kamil Braima Angelica F Tan Danshy A Alaza Bridget E Barber Chris Drakeley Roberto Amato Edwin Sutanto Hidayat Trimarsanto Jenarun Jelip Nicholas M Anstey Zbynek Bozdech Matthew Field Matthew J Grigg Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. |
| title_full | Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. |
| title_fullStr | Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. |
| title_short | Genomic epidemiology of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in Malaysia. |
| title_sort | genomic epidemiology of plasmodium knowlesi reveals putative genetic drivers of adaptation in malaysia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012885 |
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