Evolution of tubulin gene arrays in Trypanosomatid parasites: genomic restructuring in Leishmania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

alpha- and beta-tubulin are fundamental components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton and cell division machinery. While overall tubulin expression is carefully controlled, most eukaryotes express multiple tubulin genes in specific regulatory or developmental contexts. The genomes of the human parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major reveal that these unicellular kinetoplastids possess arrays of tandem-duplicated tubulin genes, but with differences in organisation. While L. major possesses monotypic alpha and beta arrays in trans, an array of alternating alpha- and beta tubulin genes occurs in T. brucei. Polycistronic transcription in these organisms makes the chromosomal arrangement of tubulin genes important with respect to gene expression.

Results

We inves

SUBMITTER: Jackson AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1621084 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature