title: Genome hyperevolution and the success of a parasite.
abstract: The strategy of antigenic variation is to present a constantly changing population phenotype that enhances parasite transmission, through evasion of immunity arising within, or existing between, host animals. Trypanosome antigenic variation occurs through spontaneous switching among members of a silent archive of many hundreds of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) antigen genes. As with such contingency systems in other pathogens, switching appears to be triggered through inherently unstable DNA sequences. The archive occupies subtelomeres, a genome partition that promotes hypermutagenesis and, through telomere position effects, singular expression of VSG. Trypanosome antigenic variation is augmented greatly by the formation of mosaic genes from segments of pseudo-VSG, an example of implicit genetic information. Hypermutation occurs apparently evenly across the whole archive, without direct selection on individual VSG, demonstrating second-order selection of the underlying mechanisms. Coordination of antigenic variation, and thereby transmission, occurs through networking of trypanosome traits expressed at different scales from molecules to host populations.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary, & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom. dave.barry@glasgow.ac.uk
authors.forename: J David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: James P J
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plenderleith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion / Q000235:genetics; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma