The PARP and rRNA promoters of Trypanosoma brucei are composed of dissimilar sequence elements that are functionally interchangeable.
The African trypanosomes express two major surface proteins, the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) and the procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP). The RNA polymerase that transcribes the VSG and PARP genes shares many characteristics with RNA polymerase I. We show that although there is very little similarity in nucleotide sequence, the functional structure of a trypanosome rRNA promoter is almost identical to that of the PARP promoter. Further, domains from the PARP promoter can functionally substitute for the corresponding parts of the rRNA promoter, and vice versa.
Janz
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Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Heidelberg, Germany.
Clayton
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D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics*
D017931:DNA Primers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; C053277:procyclic acidic repetitive protein, Trypanosoma