Mono-allelic expression in trypanosomes
The parasite Trypanosoma brucei can exploit antigenic variation of its VSG coat proteins to avoid detection by the mammalian host. In the December 13 Nature, Miguel Navarro and Keith Gull from the University of Manchester, UK, provide a mechanism for mono-allelic VSG expression (Nature 2001, 409:759-763).They investigated the role of RNA polymerase I (pol I) and nuclear compartmentalization in VSG expression. They used antibodies against T. brucei pol I, to identify a 'pol I body' outside the nu
Dec 16, 2001
The parasite
They investigated the role of RNA polymerase I (pol I) and nuclear compartmentalization in VSG expression. They used antibodies against
Thus, localization to the extranucleolar body determines the VSG allele choice and defines a mechanism...