Punctuated chromatin states regulate Plasmodium falciparum antigenic variation at the intron and 2 kb upstream regions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding the regulation mechanism of var gene expression is crucial for explaining antigenic variation in Plasmodium falciparum. Recent work observed that while all var genes produce transcripts, only a few var genes exhibit high expression levels. However, the global regulation of var expression and the relationship between epigenetic and genetic control remains to be established.

Result

We have systematically reanalyzed the existing genomic data including chromatin configurations and gene expressions; and for the first time used robust statistical methods to show that the intron and 2 kb upstream regions of each endogenous var gene always maintain high chromatin accessibility, with high potential to bind transcription factors (TFs). The levels of transcript

SUBMITTER: Wang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4990864 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature