Name: examination of the telomere g-overhang structure in trypanosoma brucei
Uploaded: 2011-01-26T17:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Examination of the Telomere G-overhang Structure in Trypanosoma brucei at JoVE.com

We would like to thank Dr. Carolyn Price for scientific discussions and insightful suggestions. This work is supported by NIH grant AI066095 (PI: Bibo Li).

1. Detect T. brucei Telomere G-overhang using Native In-gel Hybridization 3
Principle (Figure 1): Under native condition, an end-labeled (CCCTAA)4 (TELC) oligo probe can only hybridize to the single-stranded telomere G-overhang region. The hybridization intensity is proportional to the length of the overhang. After denaturation and neutralization, the same probe will be able to hybridize to the whole telomere region. The hybridization intensity represents the tota...

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	<li>Munoz-Jordan, J. L., Cross, G. A., de Lange, T., Griffith, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=t-loops+at+trypanosome+telomeres.">t-loops at trypanosome telomeres.</a> EMBO J. 20, 579-588 (2001).</li><li>Li, B., Espinal, A., Cross, G. A. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trypanosome+telomeres+are+protected+by+a+homologue+of+mammalian+TRF2.">Trypanosome telomeres are protected by a homologue of mammalian TRF2.</a> Mol Cell Biol. 25, 5011-5021 (2005).</li><li>Wellinger, R. J., Wolf, A. J., Zakian, V. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Saccharomyces+telomeres+acquire+single-strand+TG1-3+tails+late+in+S+phase.">Saccharomyces telomeres acquire single-strand TG1-3 tails late in S phase.</a> Cell. 72, 51-60 (1993).</li><li>McElligott, R., Wellinger, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+terminal+DNA+structure+of+mammalian+chromosomes.">The terminal DNA structure of mammalian chromosomes.</a> EMBO J. 16, 3705-3714 (1997).</li><li>Harrington, L. A., Greider, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomerase+primer+specificity+and+chromosome+healing.">Telomerase primer specificity and chromosome healing.</a> Nature. 353, 451-454 (1991).</li><li>Jacob, N. K., Skopp, R., Price, C. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=G-overhang+dynamics+at+Tetrahymena+telomeres.">G-overhang dynamics at Tetrahymena telomeres.</a> Embo J. 20, 4299-4308 (2001).</li><li>Barry, J. D., McCulloch, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antigenic+variation+in+trypanosomes:+enhanced+phenotypic+variation+in+a+eukaryotic+parasite.">Antigenic variation in trypanosomes: enhanced phenotypic variation in a eukaryotic parasite.</a> Adv Parasitol. 49, 1-70 (2001).</li><li>Yang, X., Figueiredo, L. M., Espinal, A., Okubo, E., Li, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=RAP1+is+essential+for+silencing+telomeric+variant+surface+glycoprotein+genes+in+Trypanosoma+brucei.">RAP1 is essential for silencing telomeric variant surface glycoprotein genes in Trypanosoma brucei.</a> Cell. 137, 99-109 (2009).</li></ol>

Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness in humans. This disease, if left untreated, is inevitably fatal. T. brucei cells in mammalian hosts undergo antigenic variation regularly so as to evade the host's immune attack 7. Hence it is very difficult to eliminate T. brucei cells once an infection is established. We have recently demonstrated that telomeres play an important role in regulation of the expression of T. brucei surface antigen gene 8. Therefore, it is...

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<td>SeaKem LE Agarose</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Agarose Type VII (low melting agarose)</td>
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<td>Sigma</td>
<td>A4018</td>
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<td>Proteinase K, recombinant, PCR grade</td>
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<td>Roche Diagnostic</td>
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<td>Exo I</td>
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<td>NEB</td>
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<td>T7 exonuclease</td>
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<td>QIAquick nucleotide removal kit</td>
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examination of the telomere g-overhang structure in trypanosoma brucei

The telomere G-overhang structure has been identified in many eukaryotes including yeast, vertebrates, and Trypanosoma brucei. It serves as the substrate for telomerase for de novo telomere DNA synthesis and is therefore important for telomere maintenance. T. brucei is a protozoan parasite that causes sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. Once infected mammalian host, T. brucei cell regularly switches its surface antigen to evade the host's immune attack. We have recently demonstrated that the T. brucei telomere structure plays an essential role in regulation of surface antigen gene expression, which is critical for T. brucei pathogenesis. However, T. brucei telomere structure has not been extensively studied due to the limitation of methods for analysis of this specialized structure. We have now successfully adopted the native in-gel hybridization and ligation-mediated primer extension methods for examination of the telomere G-overhang structure and an adaptor ligation method for determination of the telomere terminal nucleotide in T. brucei cells. Here, we will describe the protocols in detail and compare their different advantages and limitations.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Examination of the Telomere G-overhang Structure in Trypanosoma brucei at JoVE.com

Examination of the Telomere G-overhang Structure in Trypanosoma brucei

Telomeres are essential for chromosome stability and the telomere G-overhang structure is essential for telomerase-mediated telomere maintenance. We have recently adopted two methods for detecting the telomere G-overhang structure in Trypanosoma brucei, which are native in-gel hybridization and ligation-mediated primer extension, which will be described.

Examination of the Telomere G-overhang Structure in Trypanosoma brucei

The telomere G-overhang structure has been identified in many eukaryotes including yeast, vertebrates, and Trypanosoma brucei. It serves as the substrate ...

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