Mitochondrial DNA sequences of human schistosomes: the current status

Sequences generated from the mitochondrial genome provide useful molecular markers for defining population groups, for tracing the genetic history of an individual or a particular group of related individuals, and for constru cting deep-branch taxonomic phylogenies. There is every reason to believe t hat the mitochondrial genome will be as valuable in studies on flatworms, s uch as the human schistosomes, as it has been for other taxa. To date, howe ver, our knowledge of mitochondrial genomes of flatworms remains limited, a nd this review summarises the currently available information. In particula r, details of the recent sequence obtained for cloned Schistosoma mansoni m itochondrial DNA fragments spanning over half of the mitochondrial genome o f this species are emphasised. This and other information, available as a r esult of the Schistosome Genome Project, provide the basis for obtaining th e complete mitochondrial DNA sequence and gene order of S. mansoni and the other human schistosomes. The availability of complete mitochondrial DNA se quences from the different species will facilitate much more in-depth study of genetic diversity and host specificity in schistosomes and the interrel ationships between the various forms infecting humans and between these and other flatworms. (C) 2000 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Publish ed by Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.