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The DRBD13 RNA binding protein is involved in the insect‐stage differentiation process of Trypanosoma brucei
Author(s) -
Jha Bhaskar Anand,
Gazestani Vahid H.,
Yip Chun Wai,
Salavati Reza
Publication year - 2015
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/j.febslet.2015.05.036
Subject(s) - trypanosoma brucei , biology , rna , microbiology and biotechnology , messenger rna , gene expression , gene , glycoprotein , phenotype , genetics
DRBD13 RNA‐binding protein (RBP) regulates the abundance of AU‐rich element (ARE)‐containing transcripts in trypanosomes. Here we show that DRBD13 regulates RBP6, the developmentally critical protein in trypanosomatids. We also show DRBD13‐specific regulation of transcripts encoding cell surface coat proteins including GPEET2, variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) and invariant surface glycoprotein (ISG). Accordingly, alteration in DRBD13 levels leads to changes in the target mRNA abundance and parasite morphology. The high consistency of the observed phenotype with known cell membrane exchanges that occur during progression of T. brucei through the insect stage of its life cycle suggests that DRBD13 is an important regulator in this largely unknown developmental process.