Functional analysis of the 5′ untranslated region of the phosphoglutamase 2 transcript in Plasmodium falciparum

Hasenkamp, Sandra; Russell, Karen; Ullah, Imran; Horrocks, Paul

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum transcripts contain long untranslated regions (UTR), with some of the longest in any eukaryote that uses monocistronic transcription. Owing to the extreme AT nucleotide bias within the intergenic regions that encode these UTR, attempts to characterise how they are apportioned over genes and to describe their contribution to the absolute and temporal control of gene expression have been limited. Here we describe a study using a typical house-keeping gene that encodes phosphoglutamase 2 (PFD0660w), whose expression is subject to developmentally linked control during intraerythrocytic development. We show that deletion of a significant proportion (80%) of the predicted 5′ UTR has no apparent effect on the developmentally linked expression of a luciferase reporter cassette. Further, serial deletions reveal that whilst the absolute level of transcription is unaffected when up to 50% of the predicted 5′ UTR is removed, the subsequent efficiency of translation is affected. These data provide key insights into the interplay of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in the control of gene expression in this important human pathogen.

Citation

Hasenkamp, S., Russell, K., Ullah, I., & Horrocks, P. (2013). Functional analysis of the 5′ untranslated region of the phosphoglutamase 2 transcript in Plasmodium falciparum. Acta tropica, 127(1), 69-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.03.007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 20, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Apr 6, 2013
• Publication Date: 2013-07
• Deposit Date: Nov 30, 2023
• Journal: Acta Tropica
• Print ISSN: 0001-706X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 127
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 69-74
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.03.007
• Keywords: Infectious Diseases; Parasitology; Insect Science; Veterinary (miscellaneous)
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/653732
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X13000752?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Functional analysis of the 5′ untranslated region of the phosphoglutamase 2 transcript in Plasmodium falciparum; Journal Title: Acta Tropica; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.03.007; Content Type: article; Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.