Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Analysis of Single-cell Gene Transcription by RNA Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH)
Published on: October 7, 2012
Identification of a cis-acting DNA-protein interaction implicated in singular var gene choice in Plasmodium
Nicolas M B Brancucci1, Kathrin Witmer, Christoph D Schmid
1Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the most severe form of malaria in humans. Antigenic variation of P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 leads to immune evasion and occurs through switches in mutually exclusive var gene transcription. The recent progress in Plasmodium epigenetics notwithstanding, the mechanisms by which singularity of var activation is achieved are unknown. Here, we employed a functional approach to dissect the role of var gene upstream regions in mutually exclusive activation. Besides identifying sequence elements involved in activation and initiation of transcription, we mapped a region downstream of the transcriptional start site that is required to maintain singular var gene choice. Activation of promoters lacking this sequence occurs no longer in competition with endogenous var genes. Within this region we pinpointed a sequence-specific DNA-protein interaction involving a cis-acting sequence motif that is conserved in the majority of var loci. These results suggest an important role for this interaction in mutually exclusive locus recognition. Our findings are furthermore consistent with a novel mechanism for the control of singular gene choice in eukaryotes. In addition to their importance in P. falciparum antigenic variation, our results may also help to explain similar processes in other systems.
More Related Videos
09:13Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases
Published on: November 22, 2024
10:22Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum
Published on: December 4, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Position-effect Variegation
Cis-regulatory Sequences
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins
Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators