title: A novel ISWI is involved in VSG expression site downregulation in African trypanosomes.
abstract: African trypanosomes show monoallelic expression of one of about 20 telomeric variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene-expression sites (ESs) while multiplying in the mammalian bloodstream. We screened for genes involved in ES silencing using flow cytometry and RNA interference (RNAi). We show that a novel member of the ISWI family of SWI2/SNF2-related chromatin-remodelling proteins (TbISWI) is involved in ES downregulation in Trypanosoma brucei. TbISWI has an atypical protein architecture for an ISWI, as it lacks characteristic SANT domains. Depletion of TbISWI by RNAi leads to 30-60-fold derepression of ESs in bloodstream-form T. brucei, and 10-17-fold derepression in insect form T. brucei. We show that although blocking synthesis of TbISWI leads to derepression of silent VSG ES promoters, this does not lead to fully processive transcription of silent ESs, or an increase in ES-activation rates. VSG ES activation in African trypanosomes therefore appears to be a multistep process, whereby an increase in transcription from a silent ES promoter is necessary but not sufficient for full ES activation.
authors: Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors: Katie
authors: K
authors: Hughes
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Wand
authors: Lucy
authors: L
authors: Foulston
authors: Rosanna
authors: R
authors: Young
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Harley
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Terry
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Ersfeld
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Rudenko
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000502:physiology*; D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D034622:RNA Interference; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C086468:ISWI protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases