Impact of chromosome ends on the biology and virulence of Plasmodium falciparum.
In recent years, many studies have focused on heterochromatin located at chromosome ends, which plays an important role in regulating gene expression in many organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Similarly, in the protozoan Plasmodium falciparum, which is the most virulent human malaria parasite, the heterochromatin present in telomeres and subtelomeric regions exerts a silencing effect on the virulence gene families located therein. Studies addressing P. falciparum chromosome ends have demonstrated that these regions participate in other functions, such as the formation of the T-loop structure, the replication of telomeric regions, the regulation of telomere length and the formation of telomeric heterochromatin. In addition, telomeres are involved in anchoring chromosome ends to the nuclear periphery, thereby playing an important role in nuclear architecture and gene expression regulation. Here, we review the current understanding of chromosome ends, the proteins that bind to these regions and their impact on the biology and virulence of P. falciparum.
Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del, Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Apartado postal 14-740, 07360 México, D.F., Mexico. rohernan@cinvestav.mx
Rosaura
R
Hernández-Rivas
Abril Marcela
AM
Herrera-Solorio
Miguel
M
Sierra-Miranda
Dulce María
DM
Delgadillo
Miguel
M
Vargas
D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism*
D006570:Heterochromatin