Sequences of two kinetoplast DNA minicircles of Tryptanosoma brucei. 1980

K K Chen, and J E Donelson

Kinetoplast DNA of Trypanosoma brucei is composed of a network of about 10,000 interlocked minicircle DNA molecules (1.0 kilobase) that are catenated with about 50 maxicircle DNA molecules (23 kilobases). Several different DNA . DNA hybridization techniques using individual minicircle DNA sequences cloned in Escherichia coli have indicated that each minicircle molecule contains about one-fourth of its sequence in common with most other minicircles and the remaining three-fourths in common with about 1 out of every 300 minicircles. We have determined the complete sequence of two cloned minicircle DNA molecules that were released from the total kinetoplast DNA network by different restriction enzymes; one minicircle is 1004 base pairs long, the other is 983 base pairs. Both are about 72% dA + dT. They share about 27% of their sequences; the largest continuous region in common is 122 base pairs of near-perfect homology. Twelve other regions of perfect homology equal to or greater than 10 base pairs are also present. Both sequences contain a large number of translation termination codons in all potential translation reading frames. The largest oligopeptide potentially specified by one minicircle sequence is 52 amino acids; the largest by the other minicircle sequence is 71 amino acids. One minicircle contains a decanucleotide sequence that is repeated in tandem five times. It is proposed that massive recombination among the interlocked minicircles in the kinetoplast DNA network may account for much of the homology observed in the two minicirce sequences.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008970 Molecular Weight The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule. Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D004270 DNA, Circular Any of the covalently closed DNA molecules found in bacteria, many viruses, mitochondria, plastids, and plasmids. Small, polydisperse circular DNA's have also been observed in a number of eukaryotic organisms and are suggested to have homology with chromosomal DNA and the capacity to be inserted into, and excised from, chromosomal DNA. It is a fragment of DNA formed by a process of looping out and deletion, containing a constant region of the mu heavy chain and the 3'-part of the mu switch region. Circular DNA is a normal product of rearrangement among gene segments encoding the variable regions of immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, as well as the T-cell receptor. (Riger et al., Glossary of Genetics, 5th ed & Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992) Circular DNA,Circular DNAs,DNAs, Circular
D004272 DNA, Mitochondrial Double-stranded DNA of MITOCHONDRIA. In eukaryotes, the mitochondrial GENOME is circular and codes for ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, and about 10 proteins. Mitochondrial DNA,mtDNA
D004274 DNA, Recombinant Biologically active DNA which has been formed by the in vitro joining of segments of DNA from different sources. It includes the recombination joint or edge of a heteroduplex region where two recombining DNA molecules are connected. Genes, Spliced,Recombinant DNA,Spliced Gene,Recombinant DNA Research,Recombination Joint,DNA Research, Recombinant,Gene, Spliced,Joint, Recombination,Research, Recombinant DNA,Spliced Genes
D005407 Flagella A whiplike motility appendage present on the surface cells. Prokaryote flagella are composed of a protein called FLAGELLIN. Bacteria can have a single flagellum, a tuft at one pole, or multiple flagella covering the entire surface. In eukaryotes, flagella are threadlike protoplasmic extensions used to propel flagellates and sperm. Flagella have the same basic structure as CILIA but are longer in proportion to the cell bearing them and present in much smaller numbers. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Flagellum
D001483 Base Sequence The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence. DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D014346 Trypanosoma brucei brucei A hemoflagellate subspecies of parasitic protozoa that causes nagana in domestic and game animals in Africa. It apparently does not infect humans. It is transmitted by bites of tsetse flies (Glossina). Trypanosoma brucei,Trypanosoma brucei bruceus,Trypanosoma bruceus,brucei brucei, Trypanosoma,brucei, Trypanosoma brucei,bruceus, Trypanosoma,bruceus, Trypanosoma brucei

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