Single-molecule analysis of DNA replication reveals novel features in the divergent eukaryotes Leishmania and Trypanosoma brucei versus mammalian cells.

ABSTRACT: Leishmania and Trypanosoma are unicellular parasites that possess markedly original biological features as compared to other eukaryotes. The Leishmania genome displays a constitutive 'mosaic aneuploidy', whereas in Trypanosoma brucei, the megabase-sized chromosomes are diploid. We accurately analysed DNA replication parameters in three Leishmania species and Trypanosoma brucei as well as mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF). Active replication origins were visualized at the single molecule level using DNA molecular combing. More than one active origin was found on most DNA fibres, showing that the chromosomes are replicated from multiple origins. Inter-origin distances (IODs) were measured and found very large in trypanosomatids: the mean IOD was 160 kb in T. brucei and 226 kb in L. mexicana.

SUBMITTER: Stanojcic S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4791591 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature