The ATPase subunit 6 gene sequence predicts that RNA editing is conserved between lizard- and human-infecting Leishmania

Here we investigate the similarities in the kinetoplastid RNA editing process between human- and lizard-infecting Leishmania species. We present the sequence of the maxicircle-encoded ATPase subunit 6 gene from L. (V.) panamensis, L. (L.) mexicana and L. (L.) donovani species of human-infecting Leishmania. These represent the first available sequences of this gene from Leishmania species other than the lizard-infecting L. tarentolae. The gene sequences are highly conserved, both over the edited and unedited parts of the gene, implying that the RNA editing process is likely to be highly conserved between Leishmania species. Indeed, the first editing domain is absolutely conserved in all three Leishmania species studied and L. tarentolae. A phylogeny based on part of the ATPase subunit 6 gene placed the lizard-infecting Leishmania within the monophyletic Leishmania genus, supporting previous data which suggest that lizard- and human-infecting Leishmania species are closely related.