Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Glover L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4932947 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Glover Lucy L Hutchinson Sebastian S Alsford Sam S Horn David D
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20160525 26
Allelic exclusion underpins antigenic variation and immune evasion in African trypanosomes. These bloodstream parasites use RNA polymerase-I (pol-I) to transcribe just one telomeric variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene at a time, producing superabundant and switchable VSG coats. We identified trypanosome VSG exclusion-1 (VEX1) using a genetic screen for defects in telomere-exclusive expression. VEX1 was sequestered by the active VSG and silencing of other VSGs failed when VEX1 was either ecto ...[more]