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DNA rearrangements linked to expression of a predominant surface antigen gene of trypanosomes

Nature volume 302, pages 263–266 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

African trypanosomes show an extensive capacity for antigenic variation1–6. The serotype of each antigenic variant is determined by a variant-specific surface antigen (VSA) which forms a continuous coat over the entire surface of the parasite7. All known VSAs are glycoproteins whose antigenic specificity is associated with the protein moiety8,9. The expression of some of the VSA genes is linked to the duplication of a ‘basic’ copy (BC) of the gene and to the transposition of the additional or ‘expression-linked’ copy (ELC) to a new site10–12, where it is transcribed13. Other VSA genes seem to be expressed without being duplicated; they are, however, subject to rearrangements apparently unrelated to their expression14,15. In chronic infections, different variable antigen types (VATs) tend to appear in a loosely ordered sequence: indeed, after either syringe passage or cyclical transmission through the tsetse fly, the same VATs always appear in the early stage of the disease and are therefore known as early or predominant ones16–22. To check whether genes coding for predominant VATs can be characterized by some particular feature of their DNA sequence or gene rearrangement, we have studied here the gene coding for AnTat 1.3, which is the most predominant VAT of our Trypanosoma brucei brucei stock. Three points emerged: (1) when expressed, the AnTat 1.3 gene is duplicated and the ELC transposed in an expression site identical to the one described previously for other VSA genes; (2) its BC is located near the end of a DNA molecule, in a region which is very similar to the expression site and undergoes frequent insertions/deletions unlinked to VSA gene expression; (3) this gene does not belong to a multigene family.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Université libre de Bruxelles, B-1640, Rhode St Genèse, Belgium

    Monique Laurent, Etienne Pays & Maurice Steinert

  2. Laboratorium voor Serologie, Instituut voor tropische Geneeskunde, B-2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    Eddy Magnus & Nestor Van Meirvenne

  3. Instituut Moleculaire Biologie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1640, St Genesius Rode, Belgium

    Gaston Matthyssens

  4. International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya

    Richard O. Williams

Authors
  1. Monique Laurent
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  7. Maurice Steinert
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Laurent, M., Pays, E., Magnus, E. et al. DNA rearrangements linked to expression of a predominant surface antigen gene of trypanosomes. Nature 302, 263–266 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302263a0

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