Parasite genome organization: come together, right now!
Abstract
Links between genome organization and transcription have been extensively studied in model eukaryotes; however, recent application of state-of-the-art chromosome conformation capture techniques to kinetoplastid and Plasmodium parasites has revealed fascinating and divergent architectural mechanisms underlying gene regulation. Trypanosomes assemble nuclear compartments to fine-tune transcription and splicing of variant surface glycoprotein genes. Plasmodium utilizes specific protein complexes to cluster variant surface antigen genes for their epigenetic regulation and genetic diversity. Recent studies have also observed coalescence of genes transcribed by RNAPII in Trypanosoma brucei and active stage-specific genes in Plasmodium falciparum, which could facilitate bursts of transcription in the dynamic parasite life cycle. Thus, connections between genome architecture and gene regulation are emerging as crucial to parasite survival and pathogenesis
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BibTeX
@article{singh2026parasite,
title = {{Parasite genome organization: come together, right now!}},
author = {Parul Singh and Leon Walther and Maureen Cabahug and Joana R.C. Faria and Jessica Bryant},
journal = {Trends in Parasitology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.010},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05802762v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Parasite genome organization: come together, right now!
AU - Parul Singh
AU - Leon Walther
AU - Maureen Cabahug
AU - Joana R.C. Faria
AU - Jessica Bryant
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Trends in Parasitology
DO - 10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.010
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05802762v1
AB - Links between genome organization and transcription have been extensively studied in model eukaryotes; however, recent application of state-of-the-art chromosome conformation capture techniques to kinetoplastid and Plasmodium parasites has revealed fascinating and divergent architectural mechanisms underlying gene regulation. Trypanosomes assemble nuclear compartments to fine-tune transcription and splicing of variant surface glycoprotein genes. Plasmodium utilizes specific protein complexes to cluster variant surface antigen genes for their epigenetic regulation and genetic diversity. Recent studies have also observed coalescence of genes transcribed by RNAPII in Trypanosoma brucei and active stage-specific genes in Plasmodium falciparum, which could facilitate bursts of transcription in the dynamic parasite life cycle. Thus, connections between genome architecture and gene regulation are emerging as crucial to parasite survival and pathogenesis
SN - 1471-4922
ER -