The genome of the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei.
African trypanosomes cause human sleeping sickness and livestock trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. We present the sequence and analysis of the 11 megabase-sized chromosomes of Trypanosoma brucei. The 26-megabase genome contains 9068 predicted genes, including approximately 900 pseudogenes and approximately 1700 T. brucei-specific genes. Large subtelomeric arrays contain an archive of 806 variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes used by the parasite to evade the mammalian immune system. Most VSG genes are pseudogenes, which may be used to generate expressed mosaic genes by ectopic recombination. Comparisons of the cytoskeleton and endocytic trafficking systems with those of humans and other eukaryotic organisms reveal major differences. A comparison of metabolic pathways encoded by the genomes of T. brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania major reveals the least overall metabolic capability in T. brucei and the greatest in L. major. Horizontal transfer of genes of bacterial origin has contributed to some of the metabolic differences in these parasites, and a number of novel potential drug targets have been identified.
Berriman
Matthew
M
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK. mb4@sanger.ac.uk
Ghedin
Elodie
E
Hertz-Fowler
Christiane
C
Blandin
Gaëlle
G
Renauld
Hubert
H
Bartholomeu
Daniella C
DC
Lennard
Nicola J
NJ
Caler
Elisabet
E
Hamlin
Nancy E
NE
Haas
Brian
B
Böhme
Ulrike
U
Hannick
Linda
L
Aslett
Martin A
MA
Shallom
Joshua
J
Marcello
Lucio
L
Hou
Lihua
L
Wickstead
Bill
B
Alsmark
U Cecilia M
UC
Arrowsmith
Claire
C
Atkin
Rebecca J
RJ
Barron
Andrew J
AJ
Bringaud
Frederic
F
Brooks
Karen
K
Carrington
Mark
M
Cherevach
Inna
I
Chillingworth
Tracey-Jane
TJ
Churcher
Carol
C
Clark
Louise N
LN
Corton
Craig H
CH
Cronin
Ann
A
Davies
Rob M
RM
Doggett
Jonathon
J
Djikeng
Appolinaire
A
Feldblyum
Tamara
T
Field
Mark C
MC
Fraser
Audrey
A
Goodhead
Ian
I
Hance
Zahra
Z
Harper
David
D
Harris
Barbara R
BR
Hauser
Heidi
H
Hostetler
Jessica
J
Ivens
Al
A
Jagels
Kay
K
Johnson
David
D
Johnson
Justin
J
Jones
Kristine
K
Kerhornou
Arnaud X
AX
Koo
Hean
H
Larke
Natasha
N
Landfear
Scott
S
Larkin
Christopher
C
Leech
Vanessa
V
Line
Alexandra
A
Lord
Angela
A
Macleod
Annette
A
Mooney
Paul J
PJ
Moule
Sharon
S
Martin
David M A
DM
Morgan
Gareth W
GW
Mungall
Karen
K
Norbertczak
Halina
H
Ormond
Doug
D
Pai
Grace
G
Peacock
Chris S
CS
Peterson
Jeremy
J
Quail
Michael A
MA
Rabbinowitsch
Ester
E
Rajandream
Marie-Adele
MA
Reitter
Chris
C
Salzberg
Steven L
SL
Sanders
Mandy
M
Schobel
Seth
S
Sharp
Sarah
S
Simmonds
Mark
M
Simpson
Anjana J
AJ
Tallon
Luke
L
Turner
C Michael R
CM
Tait
Andrew
A
Tivey
Adrian R
AR
Van Aken
Susan
S
Walker
Danielle
D
Wanless
David
D
Wang
Shiliang
S
White
Brian
B
White
Owen
O
Whitehead
Sally
S
Woodward
John
J
Wortman
Jennifer
J
Adams
Mark D
MD
Embley
T Martin
TM
Gull
Keith
K
Ullu
Elisabetta
E
Barry
J David
JD
Fairlamb
Alan H
AH
Opperdoes
Fred
F
Barrell
Barclay G
BG
Donelson
John E
JE
Hall
Neil
N
Fraser
Claire M
CM
Melville
Sara E
SE
El-Sayed
Najib M
NM
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D005978:Glutathione / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021381:Protein Transport; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011544:Pseudogenes; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013095:Spermidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000469:parasitology
D000596:Amino Acids; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011687:Purines; D011743:Pyrimidines; C044809:trypanothione; D005978:Glutathione; D013095:Spermidine; D004875:Ergosterol