Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling
The Plasmodium falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. Members of these families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101919 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/11152 |
| _version_ | 1824453747218055168 |
|---|---|
| author | Witmer, Kathrin Schmid, Christoph D. Brancucci, Nicolas M. B. Luah, Yen-Hoon Preiser, Peter Rainer Bozdech, Zbynek Voss, Till S. |
| author2 | School of Biological Sciences |
| author_facet | School of Biological Sciences Witmer, Kathrin Schmid, Christoph D. Brancucci, Nicolas M. B. Luah, Yen-Hoon Preiser, Peter Rainer Bozdech, Zbynek Voss, Till S. |
| author_sort | Witmer, Kathrin |
| collection | NTU |
| description | The Plasmodium falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. Members of these families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). PfEMP1 undergoes antigenic variation through switches in mutually exclusive var gene transcription. var promoters function as crucial regulatory elements in the underlying epigenetic control strategy. Here, we analysed promoters of upsA, upsB and upsC var, rifA1-type rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm genes and investigated their role in endogenous gene transcription by comparative genome-wide expression profiling of transgenic parasite lines. We find that the three major var promoter types are functionally equal and play an essential role in singular gene choice. Unlike var promoters, promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default, and transcription of non-var families is not subject to the same mode of mutually exclusive transcription as has been observed for var genes. Our findings identified a differential logic in the regulation of var and other subtelomeric virulence gene families, which will have important implications for our understanding and future analyses of phenotypic variation in malaria parasites. |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:11:20Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/101919 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:11:20Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1019192022-02-16T16:28:33Z Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling Witmer, Kathrin Schmid, Christoph D. Brancucci, Nicolas M. B. Luah, Yen-Hoon Preiser, Peter Rainer Bozdech, Zbynek Voss, Till S. School of Biological Sciences DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences The Plasmodium falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. Members of these families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). PfEMP1 undergoes antigenic variation through switches in mutually exclusive var gene transcription. var promoters function as crucial regulatory elements in the underlying epigenetic control strategy. Here, we analysed promoters of upsA, upsB and upsC var, rifA1-type rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm genes and investigated their role in endogenous gene transcription by comparative genome-wide expression profiling of transgenic parasite lines. We find that the three major var promoter types are functionally equal and play an essential role in singular gene choice. Unlike var promoters, promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default, and transcription of non-var families is not subject to the same mode of mutually exclusive transcription as has been observed for var genes. Our findings identified a differential logic in the regulation of var and other subtelomeric virulence gene families, which will have important implications for our understanding and future analyses of phenotypic variation in malaria parasites. 2013-07-11T01:45:36Z 2019-12-06T20:46:37Z 2013-07-11T01:45:36Z 2019-12-06T20:46:37Z 2012 2012 Journal Article Witmer, K., Schmid, C. D., Brancucci, Nicolas. M. B., Luah, Y.-H., Preiser, P. R., et al. (2012). Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling. Molecular Microbiology, 84(2), 243-259. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101919 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/11152 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08019.x 22435676 en Molecular microbiology © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
| spellingShingle | DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences Witmer, Kathrin Schmid, Christoph D. Brancucci, Nicolas M. B. Luah, Yen-Hoon Preiser, Peter Rainer Bozdech, Zbynek Voss, Till S. Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title | Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title_full | Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title_short | Analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in Plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| title_sort | analysis of subtelomeric virulence gene families in plasmodium falciparum by comparative transcriptional profiling |
| topic | DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101919 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/11152 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT witmerkathrin analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT schmidchristophd analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT brancuccinicolasmb analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT luahyenhoon analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT preiserpeterrainer analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT bozdechzbynek analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling AT vosstills analysisofsubtelomericvirulencegenefamiliesinplasmodiumfalciparumbycomparativetranscriptionalprofiling |