Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases
Published on: November 22, 2024
Transcription of the kinetoplastid spliced leader RNA gene
D A Campbell1, N R Sturm, M C Yu
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1747, USA. dc@ucla.edu
Abstract:
In recent years, much has been learned about the cis-elements controlling transcription of the kinetoplastid spliced leader (SL) RNA gene. The SL RNA gene contains the first 39 nucleotides that are trans-spliced on to all nuclear-derived mRNAs in these organisms. Transcription initiation is determined by two precisely spaced upstream elements and transcription termination is directed by the downstream poly-T tract, although the RNA polymerase responsible for SL RNA synthesis is still questioned. In this article, David Campbell, Nancy Sturm and Michael Yu review the field of kinetoplastid SL RNA gene transcription, address past proposals in light of current data and discuss some of the differences that appear in the literature.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Splicing
RNA Splicing
LTR Retrotransposons
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
Non-LTR Retrotransposons
Bacterial Transcription
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
Alternative RNA Splicing
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...

