biostudies-literatureFaria JEuropean Research CouncilMedical Research CouncilWellcome Trust289-300https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7610597biostudies-literatureUnknown6(3)Highly selective gene expression is a key requirement for antigenic variation in several pathogens, allowing evasion of host immune responses and maintenance of persistent infections¹. African trypanosomes-parasites that cause lethal diseases in humans and livestock-employ an antigenic variation mechanism that involves monogenic antigen expression from a pool of >2,600 antigen-coding genes². In other eukaryotes, the expression of individual genes can be enhanced by mechanisms involving the juxtaposition of otherwise distal chromosomal loci in the three-dimensional nuclear space^3-5. However, trypanosomes lack classical enhancer sequences or regulated transcription initiation^6,7. In this context, it has remained unclear how genome architecture contNature microbiologySpatial integration of transcription and splicing in a dedicated compartment sustains monogenic antigen expression in African trypanosomes.PMC7610597100320/Z/12/Z100320MR/K015869/1715466203134/Z/16/ZLuzak VHutchinson SMuller LSMFaria JGlover LHorn DBrink BGSiegel TNfalseSpatial integration of transcription and splicing in a dedicated compartment sustains monogenic antigen expression in African trypanosomes.Highly selective gene expression is a key requirement for antigenic variation in several pathogens, allowing evasion of host immune responses and maintenance of persistent infections¹. African trypanosomes-parasites that cause lethal diseases in humans and livestock-employ an antigenic variation mechanism that involves monogenic antigen expression from a pool of >2,600 antigen-coding genes². In other eukaryotes, the expression of individual genes can be enhanced by mechanisms involving the juxtaposition of otherwise distal chromosomal loci in the three-dimensional nuclear space^3-5. However, trypanosomes lack classical enhancer sequences or regulated transcription initiation^6,7. In this context, it has remained unclear how genome architecture cont2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2026-05-09T08:25:41.664Z2022-02-10T19:23:10.481ZS-EPMC76105973343215410.1038/s41564-020-00833-4