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Ancient genomes reveal a deep history of Treponema pallidum in the Americas

Author

Listed:
  • Rodrigo Barquera

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • T. Lesley Sitter

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Casey L. Kirkpatrick

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Western University
    Simon Fraser University)

  • Darío A. Ramirez

    (Museo de Antropologías
    Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)

  • Arthur Kocher

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Maria A. Spyrou

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen)

  • Lourdes R. Couoh

    (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)

  • Jorge A. Talavera-González

    (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)

  • Mario Castro

    (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
    Clínica Alemana–Universidad del Desarrollo)

  • Tanya Hunnius

    (Department of Anthropology)

  • Evelyn K. Guevara

    (University of Helsinki)

  • W. Derek Hamilton

    (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre)

  • Patrick Roberts

    (Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology)

  • Erin Scott

    (Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology)

  • Mariana Fabra

    (Museo de Antropologías
    Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)

  • Gabriela V. Peña

    (Museo de Ciencias Naturales y Antropológicas Juan C. Moyano
    Universidad Nacional de Cuyo)

  • Aryel Pacheco

    (Durham University)

  • Mónica Rodriguez

    (Independent researcher)

  • Eugenio Aspillaga

    (University of Chile)

  • Anthi Tiliakou

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Elizabeth A. Nelson

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Southern Methodist University)

  • Karen L. Giffin

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Raffaela A. Bianco

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Adam B. Rohrlach

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    University of Adelaide
    University of Adelaide)

  • María los Ángeles García Martínez

    (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)

  • Fabiola A. Ballesteros Solís

    (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)

  • Antti Sajantila

    (University of Helsinki
    Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare)

  • Shelley R. Saunders

    (Department of Anthropology)

  • Rodrigo Nores

    (Museo de Antropologías
    Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)

  • Alexander Herbig

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Johannes Krause

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Kirsten I. Bos

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

Abstract

Human treponemal infections are caused by a family of closely related Treponema pallidum that give rise to the diseases yaws, bejel, pinta and, most notably, syphilis1. Debates on a common origin for these pathogens and the history of syphilis itself have weighed evidence for the ‘Columbian hypothesis’2, which argues for an American origin, against that for the ‘pre-Columbian hypothesis’3, which argues for the presence of the disease in Eurasia in the Medieval period and possibly earlier. Although molecular data has provided a genetic basis for distinction of the typed subspecies4, deep evolution of the complex has remained unresolved owing to limitations in the conclusions that can be drawn from the sparse palaeogenomic data that are currently available. Here we explore this evolutionary history through analyses of five pre- and peri-contact ancient treponemal genomes from the Americas that represent ancient relatives of the T. pallidum subsp. pallidum (syphilis), T. pallidum subsp. pertenue (yaws) and T. pallidum subsp. endemicum (bejel) lineages. Our data indicate unexplored diversity and an emergence of T. pallidum that post-dates human occupation in the Americas. Together, these results support an American origin for all T. pallidum characterized at the genomic level, both modern and ancient.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo Barquera & T. Lesley Sitter & Casey L. Kirkpatrick & Darío A. Ramirez & Arthur Kocher & Maria A. Spyrou & Lourdes R. Couoh & Jorge A. Talavera-González & Mario Castro & Tanya Hunnius & Evelyn , 2025. "Ancient genomes reveal a deep history of Treponema pallidum in the Americas," Nature, Nature, vol. 640(8057), pages 186-193, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:640:y:2025:i:8057:d:10.1038_s41586-024-08515-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08515-5
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