title: Maxi-circles, glycosomes, gene transposition, expression sites, transsplicing, transferrin receptors and base J.
abstract: This is a personal story of the author of his research on trypanosomatids, covering a period of 1970-2015. Some of the highlights include the discovery of new aspects of kDNA, the mini-circle heterogeneity and the maxi-circle; the glycosome; the discovery of gene transposition as a major mechanism for antigenic variation; trans-splicing as an essential step in the synthesis of all trypanosome mRNAs; Pulsed Field Gradient gels to size-fractionate chromosome-sized DNA molecules of protozoa; the sequence of trypanosome telomeres and their growth and contraction; the first ABC-transporter of trypanosomatids, LtpgpA; the variable transferrin receptor of T. brucei and its role in Fe uptake; and base J, its structure, biosynthesis and function.
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.borst@nki.nl.
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borst
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D015870:Gene Expression; D023281:Genomics; D049673:History, 20th Century; D016830:Kinetoplastida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008830:Microbodies / Q000737:chemistry*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000266:history*
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast
keywords: ABC-transporters; Antigenic variation; Base J; Telomeres; Trans-splicing; Transferrin receptor; kDNA