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PMID: 6526012 Published · ppublish English Comparative Study Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Chromosomes of kinetoplastida.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 3 ·No. 13 ·1984-12-20 ·Pages 3109-15

Van der Ploeg LH, Cornelissen AW, Barry JD, Borst P

Abstract

We have compared chromosome-sized DNA molecules (molecular karyotypes) of five genera (nine species) of kinetoplastida after cell lysis and deproteinization of DNA in agarose blocks and size fractionation of the intact DNA molecules by pulsed field gradient (PFG) gel electrophoresis. With the possible exception of Trypanosoma vivax and Crithidia fasciculata, all species have at least 20 chromosomes. There are large differences between species in molecular karyotype and in the chromosomal distribution of the genes for alpha- and beta-tubulin, rRNA and the common mini-exon sequence of kinetoplastid mRNAs. In all cases, the rRNA genes are in DNA that is larger than 500 kb. Whereas T. brucei has approximately 100 mini-chromosomes of 50-150 kb, only few are found in T. equiperdum; T. vivax has no DNA smaller than 2000 kb. As all three species exhibit antigenic variation, small chromosomes with telomeric variant surface glycoprotein genes cannot be vital to the mechanism of antigenic variation. The apparent plasticity of kinetoplastid genome composition makes PFG gel electrophoresis a potentially useful tool for taxonomic studies.

MeSH Terms
Animals Antigens/genetics Chromosomes/immunology DNA/genetics Electrophoresis, Agar Gel RNA, Ribosomal/genetics Species Specificity Trypanosoma/genetics,immunology
Chemicals
Antigens RNA, Ribosomal DNA
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Van der Ploeg L H
Cornelissen A W
Barry J D
Borst P
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
0261-4189
Published
1984-12-20
Pages
3109-15
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC557825
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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