title: The DRBD13 RNA binding protein is involved in the insect-stage differentiation process of Trypanosoma brucei.
abstract: DRBD13 RNA-binding protein (RBP) regulates the abundance of AU-rich element (ARE)-containing transcripts in trypanosomes. Here we show that DRBD13 regulates RBP6, the developmentally critical protein in trypanosomatids. We also show DRBD13-specific regulation of transcripts encoding cell surface coat proteins including GPEET2, variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) and invariant surface glycoprotein (ISG). Accordingly, alteration in DRBD13 levels leads to changes in the target mRNA abundance and parasite morphology. The high consistency of the observed phenotype with known cell membrane exchanges that occur during progression of T. brucei through the insect stage of its life cycle suggests that DRBD13 is an important regulator in this largely unknown developmental process.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X3V9, Canada.
authors.forename: Bhaskar Anand
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X3V9, Canada.
authors.forename: Vahid H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Gazestani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X3V9, Canada.
authors.forename: Chun Wai
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X3V9, Canada. Electronic address: reza.salavati@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salavati
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007313:Insecta / Q000469:parasitology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
keywords: DRBD13; Insect stage differentiation process; Post transcriptional gene regulatory program; Trypanosoma brucei