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PMID: 2583103 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Characterization of the RNA polymerases of Trypanosoma brucei: trypanosomal mRNAs are composed of transcripts derived from both RNA polymerase II and III.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 8 ·No. 11 ·1989-11-00 ·Pages 3383-9

Grondal EJ, Evers R, Kosubek K, Cornelissen AW

Abstract

To analyze transcription in Typanosoma brucei, we have characterized the trypanosomal RNA polymerases. Here we present our results, which allow a discrimination between the different classes of RNA polymerases in nuclear run-on experiments by polymerase inhibitors and Mn2+ dependence. We also describe the separation of trypanosomal RNA polymerases by chromatography, demonstrating that T. brucei contains RNA polymerases I-III. The outcome of our experiments suggests that the VSG genes of T. brucei are not transcribed by RNA polymerase I, as previously reported, but by RNA polymerase II. We propose that an additional factor modifies RNA polymerase II, resulting in the alpha-amanitin-resistant transcription of VSG genes. Our data also suggest that the mini-exon genes, which encode the 5' end of each trypanosomal mRNA, are probably transcribed by RNA polymerase III.

MeSH Terms
Amanitins/pharmacology Animals Antigens, Protozoan/genetics Antigens, Surface/genetics Base Sequence Chromatography, Ion Exchange DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/isolation & purification,metabolism Exons Genes Manganese/pharmacology RNA Polymerase I/isolation & purification,metabolism RNA Polymerase II/isolation & purification,metabolism RNA Polymerase III/isolation & purification,metabolism RNA, Messenger/genetics RNA, Transfer/genetics Transcription, Genetic Trypanosoma brucei brucei/enzymology,genetics
Chemicals
Amanitins Antigens, Protozoan Antigens, Surface RNA, Messenger Manganese RNA, Transfer RNA Polymerase II DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases RNA Polymerase I RNA Polymerase III
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Grondal E J
Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Molecular Parasitology Unit, Tübingen, FRG.
Evers R
Kosubek K
Cornelissen A W
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
0261-4189
Published
1989-11-00
Pages
3383-9
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC401483
Subset
IM
Corrections
ErratumIn
-
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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