A multicopy, extrachromosomal DNA in Leishmania infantum contains two inverted repeats of the 27.5-kilobase LD1 sequence and encodes numerous transcripts

Abstract

Leishmania DNA 1 (LD1) is a 27.5-kb sequence that occurs as an inverted repeat in a 55-kb multicopy, circular DNA in Leishmania infantum ITMAP263. The sequence is also found with a different genomic organization, possibly a tandem array, within a 1.5-Mb chromosome in all Leishmania isolates. About 26 stable transcripts of LD1 sequence, ranging from 0.6 to 15 kb, are found in ITMAP263. Transcripts were detected from both strands of the entire LD1 sequence, but the inverted repeat nature of the circular molecule prevented determination of whether transcription proceeded in one or both directions. Nine abundant transcripts (0.6-8.4 kb) from adjacent regions on the same strand of the repeat unit may represent mature mRNAs. One of these transcripts was shown to contain the 39-nucleotide spliced leader sequence characteristic of the 5' termini of trypanosomatid mRNAs. Several transcripts from the other strand of the repeat unit are also abundant and contain sequence complementary to some of the putative mRNAs. Less abundant, larger transcripts that span sequences encoding abundant mRNAs are also present, suggesting that transcription of LD1 is polycistronic.