Abstract
To identify putative cis-elements involved in gene expression regulation in Leishmania, we previously conducted an in silico investigation to find conserved intercoding sequences (CICS) in the genomes of L. major, L. infantum, and L. braziliensis. Here, the CICS databank was explored to search for sequences that were present in the untranslated regions (UTRs) of groups of genes showing similar expression profiles during in vitro differentiation. Using a selectable marker as a reporter gene, flanked by either an intact 3' UTR or a UTR lacking the conserved element, the regulatory role of a CICS was confirmed. We observed that the pattern of modulation of the mRNA levels was altered in the absence of the CICS. We also identified putative CICS RNA-binding proteins. This study suggests that the publicly available CICS database is a useful tool for identifying regulatory cis-elements for Leishmania genes and suggests the existence of post-transcriptional regulons in Leishmania.
Highlights
The protozoan parasite Leishmania is the causative agent of leishmaniasis, a spectrum of diseases that range in severity from spontaneously healing cutaneous lesions to potentially fatal visceral disease [1]
We detected conserved intercoding sequences (CICS) present in the untranslated regions (UTRs) of a single gene in the three species of Leishmania, and CICS that were common to UTRs of more than one gene, functionally related or not
The location of the CICS within the 3’ untranslated region (3’ UTR) and the sequence conservation compared to the reference for each of the genes grouped as part of the putative regulon was evaluated by BlastN1 analysis (S3 Fig)
Summary
The protozoan parasite Leishmania is the causative agent of leishmaniasis, a spectrum of diseases that range in severity from spontaneously healing cutaneous lesions to potentially fatal visceral disease [1]. In addition to its medical importance, this ancient eukaryote is used as a model organism for studying genetic organization and regulation of gene expression. In this parasite, as in other kinetoplastids and distinct from most eukaryotes, processing of mRNAs occurs by trans-splicing, transcription is polycistronic and constitutive, and gene expression is controlled mostly post-transcriptionally [2]. The organisms adapt to changes in their environment by modulating their gene expression profile In heteroxenous parasites such as Leishmania and other trypanosomatids, adaptation to diverse and hostile environments requires an immediate response involving morphological and physiological changes driven by modifications in gene expression.
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