Sequences conserved by selection across mouse and human malaria species

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Parasitology

Background:

• Genomic sequence features regulating malaria genes remain largely unknown.
• Understanding gene regulation is crucial for combating malaria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To computationally identify conserved genomic sequences that may regulate malaria genes.
• To advance the understanding of gene regulation in malaria parasites.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a conservation algorithm accounting for compositional biases in malaria genomes.
• Analyzed sequence conservation in 5' regions of genes across four malaria species.
• Identified conserved blocks beyond neutral expectations and potential transcription factor binding motifs.

Main Results:

• Discovered 610 conserved blocks in mouse malariae and 81 in all four species (p < 10(-6)).
• Identified three conserved and overrepresented transcription factor binding motifs in rodent malariae.
• Found less conserved intergenic sequence in malaria compared to yeast or vertebrates.

Conclusions:

• The identified conserved blocks are strong candidates for novel regulatory functions.
• Malaria parasites may have simpler transcriptional regulation than other eukaryotes.
• A public database of alignments and predictions is available for the research community.