title: The genomic organization and transcription of the ubiquitin genes of Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: We describe here the organization of the ubiquitin genes of the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi contains greater than 100 ubiquitin coding sequences all of which are clustered into a 27 kb segment of the genome. Two types of ubiquitin coding sequences were found. There are five fusion genes (FUS1-5) consisting of a ubiquitin coding sequence fused to a basic non-ubiquitin sequence. The T. cruzi ubiquitin fusion protein is 84% homologous to the product of the UBI gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The non-ubiquitin domains of the two proteins are 67% homologous. There are five polyubiquitin coding genes (PUB) each consisting of varying lengths of polyubiquitin coding sequence and terminating with a single copy of the larger fusion gene. Transcription of the ubiquitin genes results in the generation of six major poly(A)+ mRNAs. The pattern of transcription accurately reflects the genomic organization, in that the transcripts consist of either a single copy of the ubiquitin fusion coding sequence or varying lengths of polyubiquitin (up to 52 copies of the ubiquitin coding unit) each ending with a single copy of the ubiquitin fusion sequence. Finally, there are heat shock elements 5' to the PUB genes and transcription patterns are altered under conditions of stress.
authors.affiliation: Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98104.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swindle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ajioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eisen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sanwal
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacquemot
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Browder
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buck
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D005796:Genes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009710:Nucleotide Mapping; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics*; D014452:Ubiquitins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014452:Ubiquitins; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes