title: Replication of the Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast DNA initiates within the inverted repeat region.
abstract: The 35kb apicoplast genomes (plDNA) of Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii share close sequence similarity but differ in their in vivo topologies. Although sequence analysis of tandem repeats of T. gondii plDNA has suggested the presence of replication initiation sites within the inverted repeat region, the replication origins (ori) of the P. falciparum circular plDNA have not been identified. Using 5' end-labelled nascent DNA as probe, we demonstrate that the ori of P. falciparum plDNA is localised within the inverted repeat region. Our results also indicate the presence of two initiation sites within each inverted repeat segment of the circular plDNA of P. falciparum suggestive of a four D-loop/bi-directional ori mechanism of DNA replication.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Structural Biology Division, Central Drug Research Institute, Post Box 173, Chattar Manzil, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226001, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaubey
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habib
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004261:DNA Replication; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan