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Evolutionary aspects of trypanosomes: Analysis of genes

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Summary

The genes for four glycolytic enzymes ofTrypanosoma brucei have been analyzed. The proteins encoded by these genes show 38–57% identity with their counterparts in other organisms, whether pro- or eukaryotic. These data are consistent with a phylogenetic tree in which trypanosomes diverged very early from the main branch of the eukaryotic lineage. No definite conclusion can be drawn yet about the evolutionary origin of glycosomes, the microbodies of trypanosomes which contain most enzymes of the glycolytic pathway. A bias could be observed in the codon usage of the glycolytic genes and genes for other housekeeping proteins, indicating that trypanosomes may have selected a nucleotide sequence that enables efficient translation. However, the genes for variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) do not show such a bias. This lack of preference for special codons is explained by the high evolutionary rate that could be observed for VSG genes.

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Abbreviations

ALDO:

aldolase

TIM:

triosephosphate isomerase

GAPDH:

glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase

PGK:

phosphoglycerate kinase

VSG:

variant surface glycoprotein

ESAG:

expression site associate gene

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  1. Research Unit for Tropical Diseases, International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Avenue Hippocrate 74, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Paul A. M. Michels

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Michels, P.A.M. Evolutionary aspects of trypanosomes: Analysis of genes. J Mol Evol 24, 45–52 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02099950

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