Unusual organization of a developmentally regulated mitochondrial RNA polymerase (TBMTRNAP) gene in Trypanosoma brucei

We report here the characterization of a developmentally regulated mitochondrial RNA polymerase transcript in the parasitic protozoan, Trypanosoma brucei. The 3822 bp protein-coding region of the T. brucei mitochondrial RNA polymerase (TBMTRNAP) gene is predicted to encode a 1274 amino acid polypept...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gene 2001-07, Vol.272 (1-2), p.209-218
Main Authors: Clement, S L, Koslowsky, D J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Cloning, Molecular
DNA, Complementary - chemistry
DNA, Complementary - genetics
DNA, Protozoan - chemistry
DNA, Protozoan - genetics
DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - genetics
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
Mitochondria - enzymology
Molecular Sequence Data
RNA, Messenger - genetics
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
TBMTRNAP gene
Trypanosoma brucei
Trypanosoma brucei brucei - enzymology
Trypanosoma brucei brucei - genetics
Trypanosoma brucei brucei - growth & development
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We report here the characterization of a developmentally regulated mitochondrial RNA polymerase transcript in the parasitic protozoan, Trypanosoma brucei. The 3822 bp protein-coding region of the T. brucei mitochondrial RNA polymerase (TBMTRNAP) gene is predicted to encode a 1274 amino acid polypeptide, the carboxyl-terminal domain of which exhibits 29-37% identity with the mitochondrial RNA polymerases from other organisms in the molecular databases. Interestingly, the TBMTRNAP mRNA is one of several mature mRNA species post-transcriptionally processed from a stable, polycistronic precursor. Alternative polyadenylation of the TBMTRNAP mRNA produces two mature transcripts that differ by 500 nt and that show stage-specific differences in abundance during the T. brucei life cycle. This alternative polyadenylation event appears to be accompanied by the alternative splicing of a high abundance, non-coding downstream transcript of unknown function. Our finding that the TBMTRNAP gene is transcribed into two distinct mRNAs subject to differential regulation during the T. brucei life cycle suggests that mitochondrial differentiation might be achieved in part through the regulated expression of this gene.
ISSN:0378-1119
1879-0038
DOI:10.1016/S0378-1119(01)00538-8