Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species
Leishmania is a protozoan parasite belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae, which is found among 88 different countries. The parasite lives as an amastigote in vertebrate macrophages and as a promastigote in the digestive tract of sand fly. It can be cultured in the laboratory using appropriate c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2011-09-01
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| Series: | Iranian Journal of Parasitology |
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| Online Access: | https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/183 |
| _version_ | 1818875323252473856 |
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| author | B Kazemi |
| author_facet | B Kazemi |
| author_sort | B Kazemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leishmania is a protozoan parasite belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae, which is found among 88 different countries. The parasite lives as an amastigote in vertebrate macrophages and as a promastigote in the digestive tract of sand fly. It can be cultured in the laboratory using appropriate culture media. Although the sexual cycle of Leishmania has not been observed during the promastigote and amastigote stages, it has been reported by some researchers. Leishmania has eukaryotic cell organization. Cell culture is convenient and cost effective, and because posttranslational modifications are common processes in the cultured cells, the cells are used as hosts for preparing eukaryotic recombinant proteins for research. Several transcripts of rDNA in the Leishmania genome are suitable regions for conducting gene transfer. Old World Leishmania spp. has 36 chromosomes, while New World Leishmania spp. has 34 or 35 chromosomes. The genomic organization and parasitic characteristics have been investigated. Leishmania spp. has a unique genomic organization among eukaryotes; the genes do not have introns, and the chromosomes are smaller with larger numbers of genes confined to a smaller space within the nucleus. Leishmania spp. genes are organized on one or both DNA strands and are transcribed as polycistronic (prokaryotic-like) transcripts from undefined promoters. Regulation of gene expression in the members of Trypanosomatidae differs from that in other eukaryotes. The trans-splicing phenomenon is a necessary step for mRNA processing in lower eukaryotes and is observed in Leishmania spp. Another particular feature of RNA editing in Leishmania spp. is that mitochondrial genes encoding respiratory enzymes are edited and transcribed. This review will discuss the chromosomal and mitochondrial (kinetoplast) genomes of Leishmania spp. as well as the phenomenon of RNA editing in the kinetoplast genome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:24:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a2c87ef796742038b891347046e72ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1735-7020 2008-238X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:24:40Z |
| publishDate | 2011-09-01 |
| publisher | Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Journal of Parasitology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a2c87ef796742038b891347046e72ac2022-12-21T20:19:36ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesIranian Journal of Parasitology1735-70202008-238X2011-09-0163Genomic Organization of Leishmania SpeciesB Kazemi0Department of Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranLeishmania is a protozoan parasite belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae, which is found among 88 different countries. The parasite lives as an amastigote in vertebrate macrophages and as a promastigote in the digestive tract of sand fly. It can be cultured in the laboratory using appropriate culture media. Although the sexual cycle of Leishmania has not been observed during the promastigote and amastigote stages, it has been reported by some researchers. Leishmania has eukaryotic cell organization. Cell culture is convenient and cost effective, and because posttranslational modifications are common processes in the cultured cells, the cells are used as hosts for preparing eukaryotic recombinant proteins for research. Several transcripts of rDNA in the Leishmania genome are suitable regions for conducting gene transfer. Old World Leishmania spp. has 36 chromosomes, while New World Leishmania spp. has 34 or 35 chromosomes. The genomic organization and parasitic characteristics have been investigated. Leishmania spp. has a unique genomic organization among eukaryotes; the genes do not have introns, and the chromosomes are smaller with larger numbers of genes confined to a smaller space within the nucleus. Leishmania spp. genes are organized on one or both DNA strands and are transcribed as polycistronic (prokaryotic-like) transcripts from undefined promoters. Regulation of gene expression in the members of Trypanosomatidae differs from that in other eukaryotes. The trans-splicing phenomenon is a necessary step for mRNA processing in lower eukaryotes and is observed in Leishmania spp. Another particular feature of RNA editing in Leishmania spp. is that mitochondrial genes encoding respiratory enzymes are edited and transcribed. This review will discuss the chromosomal and mitochondrial (kinetoplast) genomes of Leishmania spp. as well as the phenomenon of RNA editing in the kinetoplast genome.https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/183LeishmaniaKinetoplastGenomeRNA editingTrans-splicing |
| spellingShingle | B Kazemi Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species Iranian Journal of Parasitology Leishmania Kinetoplast Genome RNA editing Trans-splicing |
| title | Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species |
| title_full | Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species |
| title_fullStr | Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species |
| title_short | Genomic Organization of Leishmania Species |
| title_sort | genomic organization of leishmania species |
| topic | Leishmania Kinetoplast Genome RNA editing Trans-splicing |
| url | https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/183 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bkazemi genomicorganizationofleishmaniaspecies |