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Characterization of a multi‐copy gene for a major stage‐specific cysteine proteinase of Leishmania mexicana
Author(s) -
Souza Augustine E.,
Waugh Sheila,
Coombs Graham H.,
Mottram Jeremy C.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(92)81382-v
Subject(s) - leishmania mexicana , trypanosoma brucei , trypanosoma cruzi , amastigote , biology , gene , cysteine , leishmania , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , enzyme , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
Imcpb , a gene from Leishmania mexicana that encodes a major cysteine proteinase in the parasite, has been cloned and sequenced. LmCPb is related more to cysteine proteinases from Trypanosoma brucel and Trypanosoma cruzi than to a previously characterized cysteine proteinase, LmCPa, of L. mexicana . It contains a long C‐terminal extension characteristic of similar enzymes of T. brucei and T. cruzi . The gene is multi‐copy and tandemly arranged. Imcpb RNA levels are developmentally regulated with steady state levels being high in amastigotes, low in metacyclic promastigotes and undetectable in multiplicative promastigotes. This variation correlates with and may account for the stage‐specific expression of LmCPb enzyme activity.