A single-celled parasite that hides secrets of sex, fusion, and evolution.
We use Leishmania, an early-diverging eukaryote and vector-borne parasite, as a model to uncover how sexual reproduction evolved. Understanding sex in Leishmania uncovers fundamental rules of cell fusion and evolution shared across eukaryotes — from protists to animals.
In Leishmania, sex is rare, hidden, and restricted to the sand fly vector, yet it has the potential to reshape its genome. By tracing fusion and hybridization within the vector, we reveal how sex contributes to adaptation and evolutionary innovation.
In vivo infections in sand flies allow us to trace when and where Leishmania undergoes sexual reproduction.
We engineer Leishmania to probe the pathways that control fusion, differentiation, and transmission.
We integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and single-cell datasets to uncover molecular signatures of sexual development in Leishmania.
Ideas that shaped how we think about sex, evolution, and diversity
“By tracing fusion and hybridization in Leishmania, we reveal how ancient cellular mechanisms of sex continue to shape modern parasite diversity and evolution.”
Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, nº 1374
Butantã - São Paulo - SP
CEP 05508-000
ccattapreta@usp.br