Inactivation of transcription by UV irradiation of T. brucei provides evidence for a multicistronic transcription unit including a VSG gene.
We have used inactivation of transcription by UV irradiation to map transcription units in trypanosomes. The relative inactivation rate of the transcription of mini-exon, 5S, and rRNA genes was inversely proportional to the previously estimated lengths of these transcription units. The telomeric transcription unit containing the gene for variant-specific surface glycoprotein (VSG) 221 was inactivated as a single unit of 60 kb. This long transcription unit comprises at least one other protein-coding gene and yields seven other stable mRNAs. These data thus provide evidence for a multicistronic transcription unit for cellular genes in a eukaryote.
Johnson
P J
PJ
Division of Molecular Biology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis, Amsterdam.
Kooter
J M
JM
Borst
P
P
D000818:Animals; D005796:Genes; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics*
D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma