Unusual chromatin structure associated with monoparalogous transcription of the Babesia bovis ves multigene family.

ABSTRACT: Rapid antigenic variation in Babesia bovis involves the variant erythrocyte surface antigen-1 (VESA1), a heterodimeric protein with subunits encoded by two branches of the ves multigene family. The ves1α and ves1β gene pair encoding VESA1a and 1b, respectively, are transcribed in a monoparalogous manner from a single locus of active ves transcription (LAT), just one of many quasi-palindromic ves loci. To determine whether this organization plays a role in transcriptional regulation, chromatin structure was first assessed. Limited treatment of isolated nuclei with micrococcal nuclease to assay nucleosomal patterning revealed a periodicity of 156-159 bp in both bulk chromatin and specific gene coding regions. This pattern also was maintained in the intergenic regions (IGr) of non-transcribed

SUBMITTER: Huang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3563878 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature