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Impact of a plastid-bearing endocytobiont on apicomplexan genomes

Impact of a plastid-bearing endocytobiont on apicomplexan genomes
Impact of a plastid-bearing endocytobiont on apicomplexan genomes

Both the chromosomal and extrachromosomal components of the apicomplexan genome have been supplemented by genes from a plastid-bearing endocytobiont: probably an algal cell. The sequence of the apicomplexan plastid's vestigial genome indicates that a large number (>100) of genes of endocytobiotic origin must have transferred laterally to the host cell nucleus where they control maintenance of the plastid organelle and supply its functional components by means of post-translational protein trafficking. Should the nuclear genes prove to be less divergent phylogenetically than those left on the plastid genome, they might give better clues than we have at present to the origin of the plastid-bearing endocytobiont. Most of these nuclear genes still await discovery, but the on-going genome sequencing project will reveal the function of the organelle, as well as many 'housekeeping' processes of interest on a wider front. The plastid's own protein synthetic machinery, being cyanobacterial in origin, offers conventional targets for antibiotic intervention, and this is discussed here using a structural model of elongation factor Tu. Uncovering the vital function(s) of the plastid organelle will provide new drug targets. Copyright (C) 2000 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc.

Antibiotics, Biogenesis, Elongation factor Tu, Phylogeny, Plasmodium falciparum, Plastid genome, Structure, Toxoplasma gondii
0020-7519
427-439
Sato, S.
5c718e88-46d6-48f3-a1ce-7207459b9ad9
Tews, I.
9117fc5e-d01c-4f8d-a734-5b14d3eee8dd
Wilson, R. J.M.
8c7289f8-8e43-4b2b-b1de-e3a733c48163
Sato, S.
5c718e88-46d6-48f3-a1ce-7207459b9ad9
Tews, I.
9117fc5e-d01c-4f8d-a734-5b14d3eee8dd
Wilson, R. J.M.
8c7289f8-8e43-4b2b-b1de-e3a733c48163

Sato, S., Tews, I. and Wilson, R. J.M. (2000) Impact of a plastid-bearing endocytobiont on apicomplexan genomes. International Journal for Parasitology, 30 (4), 427-439. (doi:10.1016/S0020-7519(99)00185-X).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Both the chromosomal and extrachromosomal components of the apicomplexan genome have been supplemented by genes from a plastid-bearing endocytobiont: probably an algal cell. The sequence of the apicomplexan plastid's vestigial genome indicates that a large number (>100) of genes of endocytobiotic origin must have transferred laterally to the host cell nucleus where they control maintenance of the plastid organelle and supply its functional components by means of post-translational protein trafficking. Should the nuclear genes prove to be less divergent phylogenetically than those left on the plastid genome, they might give better clues than we have at present to the origin of the plastid-bearing endocytobiont. Most of these nuclear genes still await discovery, but the on-going genome sequencing project will reveal the function of the organelle, as well as many 'housekeeping' processes of interest on a wider front. The plastid's own protein synthetic machinery, being cyanobacterial in origin, offers conventional targets for antibiotic intervention, and this is discussed here using a structural model of elongation factor Tu. Uncovering the vital function(s) of the plastid organelle will provide new drug targets. Copyright (C) 2000 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc.

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More information

Published date: 1 April 2000
Keywords: Antibiotics, Biogenesis, Elongation factor Tu, Phylogeny, Plasmodium falciparum, Plastid genome, Structure, Toxoplasma gondii

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 500820
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500820
ISSN: 0020-7519
PURE UUID: d24a18fc-1053-49be-88df-c8485c2e2150
ORCID for I. Tews: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4704-1139
ORCID for R. J.M. Wilson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7352-8912

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Date deposited: 13 May 2025 17:19
Last modified: 14 May 2025 01:44

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Contributors

Author: S. Sato
Author: I. Tews ORCID iD
Author: R. J.M. Wilson ORCID iD

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