The trypanosome VSG expression site encodes adenylate cyclase and a leucine-rich putative regulatory gene

EMBO J. 1991 Aug;10(8):2047-53. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1991.tb07735.x.

Abstract

African trypanosomes are protozoan parasites that evade the host immune system by varying their dense antigenic coat. The Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) is expressed exclusively from telomere-linked expression sites that contain in addition to the VSG gene, a number of open reading frames termed Expression Site Associated Genes (ESAGs). Here we demonstrate by complementation of a yeast mutant deleted for adenylate cyclase (cyr-1), that an ESAG from Trypanosoma equiperdum encodes an adenylate cyclase. Furthermore, we report that adjacent to adenylate cyclase in the expression site, is a separate open reading frame that encodes a protein sequence motif similar to the leucine-rich repeat regulatory domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe adenylate cyclases. The finding of two adjacent open reading frames homologous to a single enzyme in yeast suggests that the two expression site encoded proteins may interact to regulate adenylate cyclase activity during the course of an infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenylyl Cyclases / genetics*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Genes, Fungal
  • Genes, Regulator*
  • Leucine / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Plasmids
  • RNA, Protozoan / analysis
  • Restriction Mapping
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Trypanosoma / genetics*
  • Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / genetics*

Substances

  • RNA, Protozoan
  • Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma
  • Adenylyl Cyclases
  • Leucine

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M55400
  • GENBANK/M55401
  • GENBANK/M55402
  • GENBANK/M65224
  • GENBANK/S40911
  • GENBANK/S60919
  • GENBANK/S60920
  • GENBANK/X58577
  • GENBANK/X59082
  • GENBANK/X59385
  • GENBANK/X59386
  • GENBANK/X60365