Related Experiment Videos
Tandemly repeated exons encode 81-base repeats in multiple, developmentally regulated Schistosoma mansoni
R E Davis1, A H Davis, S M Carroll
1Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
Molecular and Cellular Biology
|November 1, 1988
Summary
Schistosoma mansoni antigen gene expression varies by developmental stage. Alternative splicing and transcription initiation create diverse transcripts from complex genomic loci in this parasitic worm.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- The Schistosoma mansoni cDNA clone 10-3 encodes a key antigen recognized in human infections.
- Understanding the genetic regulation of this antigen is crucial for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against schistosomiasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize developmentally regulated transcripts homologous to the Schistosoma mansoni 10-3 cDNA.
- To investigate the complex genomic loci encoding these transcripts and their regulation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Schistosoma mansoni cDNA and genomic DNA.
- Transcript size determination using Northern blotting or similar techniques.
- Sequence analysis to identify repeat elements, alternative splicing, and transcription start sites.
Main Results:
- Multiple transcripts (950, 870, 780 nucleotides) were identified, with stage-specific expression (adults vs. larvae).
- Transcripts contained variable tandem repeats of 81 bases, with variations in 5' sequences, including insertions and alternative exon usage.
- Genomic analysis revealed complex loci with reiterated 3-kilobase-pair tandem arrays encoding the 81-base repeats via dispersed 27-base-pair exons.
Conclusions:
- Developmentally regulated alternative splicing and alternative transcription initiation contribute to transcript diversity from complex Schistosoma mansoni genomic loci.
- The findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying antigen expression in Schistosoma mansoni.