A tale of three genomes: the kinetoplastids have arrived

July 2005 marked a milestone in kinetoplastid biology research. A tour de force effort led by the Tri-Trypanosomatidae ‘Tritryp’ genome consortium yielded the publication of three prominent kinetoplastid parasite genome sequences: Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major. The individual and combined comparative analyses of these three genome sequences, combined with proteomic analyses, have yielded insights into topics ranging from genome evolution and horizontal gene transfer to potential new therapeutic and vaccine targets.