Gene synteny and evolution of genome architecture in trypanosomatids

The trypanosomatid protozoa Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major are related human pathogens that cause markedly distinct diseases. Using information from genome sequencing projects currently underway, we have compared the sequences of large chromosomal fragments from each spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular and biochemical parasitology 2004-04, Vol.134 (2), p.183-191
Main Authors: Ghedin, Elodie, Bringaud, Frederic, Peterson, Jeremy, Myler, Peter, Berriman, Matthew, Ivens, Alasdair, Andersson, Björn, Bontempi, Esteban, Eisen, Jonathan, Angiuoli, Sam, Wanless, David, Von Arx, Anna, Murphy, Lee, Lennard, Nicola, Salzberg, Steven, Adams, Mark D, White, Owen, Hall, Neil, Stuart, Kenneth, Fraser, Claire M, El-Sayed, Najib M.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Computational Biology
Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Gene Order
Genome architecture
Genome, Protozoan
Genomics
Leishmania
Leishmania major
Leishmania major - genetics
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Multigene Family
Recombination, Genetic
Retroelement
Retroelements - physiology
Selection, Genetic
Synteny
Trypanosoma
Trypanosoma brucei
Trypanosoma brucei brucei - genetics
Trypanosoma cruzi
Trypanosoma cruzi - genetics
Trypanosomatina - genetics
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Summary:The trypanosomatid protozoa Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major are related human pathogens that cause markedly distinct diseases. Using information from genome sequencing projects currently underway, we have compared the sequences of large chromosomal fragments from each species. Despite high levels of divergence at the sequence level, these three species exhibit a striking conservation of gene order, suggesting that selection has maintained gene order among the trypanosomatids over hundreds of millions of years of evolution. The few sites of genome rearrangement between these species are marked by the presence of retrotransposon-like elements, suggesting that retrotransposons may have played an important role in shaping trypanosomatid genome organization. A degenerate retroelement was identified in L. major by examining the regions near breakage points of the synteny. This is the first such element found in L. major suggesting that retroelements were found in the common ancestor of all three species.
ISSN:0166-6851
1872-9428
DOI:10.1016/j.molbiopara.2003.11.012