Parasite that causes the African sleeping sickness has not had sex in more than 10,000 years, according to new research.
Researchers from Glasgow University’s Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Pathology found that the parasite species known as Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, is entirely made up of asexual clones that came from one ancestor.
“We’ve discovered that the parasite causing African sleeping sickness has existed for thousands of years without having sex and is now suffering the consequences of this strategy,” the study’s lead author Dr Willie Weir said.
“An organism’s genetic blueprint is encoded in DNA packaged within structures called chromosomes. Most organisms have two copies of each chromosome and, through sexual reproduction, the DNA within the chromosomes can recombine randomly, in effect shuffling the deck of DNA cards,” Dr Weir said.
“This process generates genetic diversity and, through natural selection, undesirable combinations and mutations are eliminated from the population, promoting long-term survival of the species.
“However, some organisms appear not to have sex at all.”
Dr Weir suggested this meant the parasite could be extinct in years to come.
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