Project description:Genome-wide transcription studies are revealing increasing examples of ‘dispersed promoters’ that unlike ‘focused promoters’, lack well-conserved sequence motifs and tight regulation. Dispersed promoters are nevertheless marked by well-defined chromatin structures, suggesting that specific sequence elements must exist in these unregulated promoters. Here, we have analyzed regions of transcription initiation in the eukaryotic parasite Trypanosoma brucei, in which RNA polymerase II transcription initiation and occurs over broad regions without distinct promoter motifs and lacks regulation. Using a combination of site-specific and genome-wide assays, we identified GT-rich promoters that can drive unidirectional transcription and promote the targeted deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z in a genomic context dependent manner. In addition, upon mapping nucleosome occupancy at high resolution, we find nucleosome positioning to correlate with RNA pol II enrichment and gene expression, pointing to a role in RNA maturation. Nucleosome positioning may thus represent a previously unrecognized layer of gene regulation in trypanosomes. Our findings show that even highly dispersed, unregulated promoters contain specific DNA elements that are able to induce transcription and changes in chromatin structure.
Project description:Trypanosomes are a globally important group of parasites which together kill and debilitate millions of people world-wide. In trypanosomes, genes do not have individual promoters, rather ~10000 genes share ~200 promoters and all gene expression is thus regulated post-transcriptionally. While effector proteins which modulate the expression of many genes have been described, the mechanisms by which trypanosomes sense changes in their environment and manifest changes in gene expression remain elusive. This study demonstrates that trypanosomes sense changes in their environment through temperature sensitive RNA secondary structure. We show that the majority of observed mRNA abundance changes which distinguish insect adapted and bloodstream adapted life cycle stages can be explained through change in temperature alone.
Project description:Trypanosomes are a globally important group of parasites which together kill and debilitate millions of people world-wide. In trypanosomes, genes do not have individual promoters, rather ~10000 genes share ~200 promoters and all gene expression is thus regulated post-transcriptionally. While effector proteins which modulate the expression of many genes have been described, the mechanisms by which trypanosomes sense changes in their environment and manifest changes in gene expression remain elusive. This study demonstrates that trypanosomes sense changes in their environment through temperature sensitive RNA secondary structure. We show that the majority of observed mRNA abundance changes which distinguish insect adapted and bloodstream adapted life cycle stages can be explained through change in temperature alone.
Project description:A cascade of histone acetylation events with subsequent incorporation of a histone H2A variant plays an essential part in transcription regulation in various model organisms. A key player in this cascade is the chromatin remodellling complex SWR1, which replaces the canonical histone H2A with its variant H2A.Z. Transcriptional regulation of polycistronic transcription units in the unicellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei has been shown to be highly dependent on acetylation of H2A.Z, which is mediated by the histone-acetyltransferase HAT2. The chromatin remodellling complex, which mediates H2A.Z incorporation is not known and an SWR1 orthologue in trypanosomes has not yet been reported. In this study, we identified and characterised an SWR1-like remodelller complex in T. brucei that is responsible for Pol II-dependent transcriptional regulation. Bioinformatic analysis of potential SNF2 DEAD/Box helicases, the key component of SWR1 complexes, identified a 1211 amino acids-long protein that exhibits key structural characteristics of the SWR1 subfamily. Systematic protein-protein interaction analysis revealed the existence of a novel complex exhibiting key features of an SWR1-like chromatin remodelller. RNAi-mediated depletion of the ATPase subunit of this complex resulted in a significant reduction of H2A.Z incorporation at transcription start sites and a subsequent decrease of steady-state mRNA levels. Furthermore, depletion of SWR1 and RNA-polymerase II (Pol II) caused massive chromatin condensation. The potential function of several proteins associated with the SWR1-like complex and with HAT2, the key factor of H2A.Z incorporation, is discussed.
Project description:Transmission of Trypanosoma brucei by tsetse flies involves the deposition of the infective quiescent metacyclic stage into the mammalian skin at the site of the fly’s bite. In the skin, the metacyclic parasites reactivate and differentiate into proliferative trypanosomes before colonizing the host's blood and tissues. We have generated an advanced human skin equivalent and used tsetse flies to naturally infect the artificial skin with trypanosomes. We have detailed the chronological order of the parasites' development in the skin and found a rapid activation and differentiation of the tsetse-transmitted cell cycle‑arrested metacyclic trypanosomes to proliferative parasites. Single-parasite transcriptomics documented the biological events during differentiation and host invasion at five different time points. After the establishment of a proliferative trypanosome population in the skin, the parasites entered a reversible quiescence program characterized by slow replication and a strongly reduced metabolism. We termed these quiescent trypanosomes skin tissue forms (STF), which may play an important role in maintaining the trypanosome infection in aparasitemic, asymptomatic individuals.
Project description:Trypanosomes were sorted (0 cells, 1 cell, 50 cells) using a FACSaria III (BD Biosciences; precision: single-cell; nozzle: 100 µm). Forward-scatter area (FCS-A) versus side-scatter area (SSC-A) was used to gate the cells. Trypanosomes were sorted in 48-wells plate (Brand) filled with 2.6 µL of lysis buffer (0.01 µL of RNAse inhibitor (Takara) and 1x Lysis buffer (Takara) in RNAse-free water). Immediately after sorting cells were placed on ice for 5 minutes and stored at -80 °C. 50 and single trypanosomes were prepared using SMART-Seq v4 Ultra Low Input RNA Kit (Takara) using one fourth of reagents volumes compared to the supplier instructions. PCR amplification was performed using 26 cycles using supplier recommendations. cDNA was purified using XP beads (Beckman Coulter) and recovered in 15 µL of elution buffer (Takara). Libraries were quantified using the Qubit Hs Assay (Life Technologies) and the qualities of the libraries were further monitored using a Bioanalyzer (Agilent). Similar to what has been published previously 19, 1 ng of cDNA was subjected to a tagmentation-based protocol (Nextera XT, Illumina) using one-quarter of the recommended volumes, 10 minuntes for tagmentation at 55 °C and 1 minute extension time during PCR amplification. Libraries were pooled (96 libraries for NextSeq) and sequencing was performed in paired-end mode for 2 × 75 cycles using Illumina's NextSeq 500.
Project description:The host range of African trypanosomes is influenced by innate protective molecules in the blood of primates. A subfraction of human high-density lipoprotein (HDL) containing apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein L-I, and haptoglobin-related protein is toxic to Trypanosoma brucei brucei but not the human sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. It is thought that T. b. rhodesiense evolved from a T. b. brucei-like ancestor and expresses a defense protein that ablates the antitrypanosomal activity of human HDL. To directly investigate this possibility, we developed an in vitro selection to generate human HDL-resistant T. b. brucei. Here we show that conversion of T. b. brucei from human HDL sensitive to resistant correlates with changes in the expression of the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) and abolished uptake of the cytotoxic human HDLs. Complete transcriptome analysis of the HDL-susceptible and -resistant trypanosomes confirmed that VSG switching had occurred but failed to reveal the expression of other genes specifically associated with human HDL resistance, including the serum resistance-associated gene (SRA) of T. b. rhodesiense. In addition, we found that while the original active expression site was still utilized, expression of three expression site-associated genes (ESAG) was altered in the HDL-resistant trypanosomes. These findings demonstrate that resistance to human HDLs can be acquired by T. b. brucei. Keywords: Trypanosoma, VSG, antigenic switching, HDL-resistance
Project description:Trypanosomes were sorted (1 cell, 10 cells, 50 cells) using a FACSaria III (BD Biosciences; precision: single-cell; nozzle: 100 µm). Forward-scatter area (FCS-A) versus side-scatter area (SSC-A) was used to gate the cells. Trypanosomes were sorted in 48-wells plate (Brand) filled with 2.6 µL of lysis buffer (0.01 µL of RNAse inhibitor (Takara) and 1x Lysis buffer (Takara) in RNAse-free water). Immediately after sorting cells were placed on ice for 5 minutes and stored at -80 °C. 50 and single trypanosomes were prepared using SMART-Seq v4 Ultra Low Input RNA Kit (Takara) using one fourth of reagents volumes compared to the supplier instructions. PCR amplification was performed using 26 cycles using supplier recommendations. cDNA was purified using XP beads (Beckman Coulter) and recovered in 15 µL of elution buffer (Takara). Libraries were quantified using the Qubit Hs Assay (Life Technologies) and the qualities of the libraries were further monitored using a Bioanalyzer (Agilent). Similar to what has been published previously 19, 1 ng of cDNA was subjected to a tagmentation-based protocol (Nextera XT, Illumina) using one-quarter of the recommended volumes, 10 minuntes for tagmentation at 55 °C and 1 minute extension time during PCR amplification. Libraries were pooled (96 libraries for NextSeq) and sequencing was performed in paired-end mode for 2 × 75 cycles using Illumina's NextSeq 500.
Project description:Protein coding genes in the trypanosome genome are organized in polycistronic transcription units (PTUs). How RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) initiates PTU transcription has not been resolved and the current model favors initiation driven by chromatin epigenetic marks, rather than core-promoters. Here, we identify sequence-specific core promoters by functional characterization of ChIP-Seq Pol II accumulation-peaks. Sequences located between oppositely orientated PTUs contained two independent and distinct core promoters, driving unidirectional transcription. Detailed analysis of one promoter identified 75 bp, necessary and sufficient to fully drive reporter expression, and containing short functional motifs. Analysis of further promoters suggested activity and initiation is regulated and both, focused and dispersed transcription patterns were found. Thus, in contrast to the model of unregulated and promoter-independent transcription initiation, sequence-specific promoters determine the initiation of RNA Pol II transcription of protein coding genes in trypanosomes. These findings resolve the discrepancy between trypanosomes and other eukaryotes in how Pol II initiates protein-coding gene transcription.