Glucosylated hydroxymethyluracil (DNA base J) prevents transcriptional read-through in Leishmania
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ABSTRACT: Some T's in nuclear DNA of trypanosomes and Leishmania are hydroxylated and glucosylated to yield base J (β-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil). In Leishmania about 99% of J is located in telomeric repeats. We show here that most of the remaining J is located at chromosome-internal RNA Polymerase II termination sites. Both this internal J and telomeric J can be reduced by a knockout of J-binding protein 2 (JBP2), an enzyme involved in the first step of J biosynthesis. J levels are further reduced by growing Leishmania JBP2 knockout cells in BrdU-containing medium, resulting in cell death. The loss of internal J is accompanied by massive read-through at RNA Polymerase II termination sites. The degree of read-through varies between transcription units, but may extend over 100 kb. We conclude that J is required for proper transcription termination and infer that the absence of internal J kills Leishmania by massive read-through of transcriptional stops.
ORGANISM(S): Leishmania tarentolae Leishmania major
PROVIDER: GSE32976 | GEO | 2011/10/15
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA146423
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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