{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T00:11:49Z","timestamp":1769559109670,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769472000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004809","name":"Financier of studies and projects (FINEP), Brazil","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["01.22.0495.00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01.22.0495.00"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Co-ordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Brazil","award":["88887.919409\/2023-00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["88887.919409\/2023-00"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study presents the complete sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of Leimania (Viannia) naiffi and Leishmania (Viannia) shawi, species of epidemiological relevance in the Brazilian Amazon. Genome assemblies yielded sizes of 32.13 Mb and 32.51 Mb, with 8170 and 7767 annotated genes, respectively. Predicted gene functions were primarily related to catalytic, binding, and ATP-dependent activities. Pangenome analysis revealed a core genome of 6256 genes alongside notable species-specific differences, including 46 and 25 unique genes in L. naiffi and L. shawi. Functional screening identified pharmacologically promising proteins such as calpains, ABC transporters, and notably, GSK-3. Ploidy analysis indicated tetraploidy on chromosome 8 in L. naiffi and chromosome 2 in L. shawi. Genetic variability assessment detected 34,480 SNPs in L. naiffi and 26,562 in L. shawi, indicating greater genomic diversity in the former. Phylogenetic inference based on the polA1 gene confirmed the placement of both species within the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus. These findings advance Leishmania genomics knowledge by highlighting unique genetic signatures, regions of high variability, and potential therapeutic targets. This work establishes a foundation for future research on evolution, pathogenicity, and drug development for leishmaniasis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms14020296","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T10:27:11Z","timestamp":1769509631000},"page":"296","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Whole-Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi and L. (Viannia) shawi Reveal Species-Specific Genes and Novel Potential Drug Targets"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8169-0610","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fabiano Reis","family":"da Silva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio de Epidemiologia das Leishmanioses, Se\u00e7\u00e3o de Parasitologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Rodovia BR 316, km 07, s\/n, Ananindeua 67030-000, Par\u00e1, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8597-5928","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lucas George Assun\u00e7\u00e3o","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio de Epidemiologia das Leishmanioses, Se\u00e7\u00e3o de Parasitologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Rodovia BR 316, km 07, s\/n, Ananindeua 67030-000, Par\u00e1, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5423-238X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edivaldo Costa","family":"Sousa Junior","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio de Epidemiologia das Leishmanioses, Se\u00e7\u00e3o de Parasitologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Rodovia BR 316, km 07, s\/n, Ananindeua 67030-000, Par\u00e1, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1857-9634","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Walter Souza","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio de Epidemiologia das Leishmanioses, Se\u00e7\u00e3o de Parasitologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Rodovia BR 316, km 07, s\/n, Ananindeua 67030-000, Par\u00e1, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2231-3561","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lourdes Maria","family":"Garcez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio de Epidemiologia das Leishmanioses, Se\u00e7\u00e3o de Parasitologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Rodovia BR 316, km 07, s\/n, Ananindeua 67030-000, Par\u00e1, Brazil"},{"name":"Departamento de Patologia, Centro de Ci\u00eancias Biol\u00f3gicas e da Sa\u00fade, Universidade do Estado do Par\u00e1, Travessa Perebebui, 2623, Bel\u00e9m 66087-662, Par\u00e1, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-017-2028-5","article-title":"The history of leishmaniasis","volume":"10","author":"Steverding","year":"2017","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"WHO (2025, December 14). 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