Biomedical subjects

Kim Rutherford

Publications and source records attributed to Kim Rutherford.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

The DNA sequence of chromosome I of an African trypanosome: gene content, chromosome organisation, recombination and polymorphism.

The African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, causes sleeping sickness in humans in sub-Saharan Africa. Here we report the sequence and analysis of the 1.1 Mb chromosome I, which encodes approximately 400 predicted genes organised into directional clusters, of which more than 100 are located in the largest cluster of 250 kb. A 160-kb region consists primarily of three gene families of unknown function, one of which contains a hotspot for retroelement insertion. We also identify five novel gene families. Indeed, almost 20% of predicted genes are members of families. In some cases, tandemly arrayed genes are 99-100% identical, suggesting an active process of amplification and gene conversion. One end of the chromosome consists of a putative bloodstream-form variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene expression site that appears truncated and degenerate. The other chromosome end carries VSG and expression site-associated genes and pseudogenes over 50 kb of subtelomeric sequence where, unusually, the telomere-proximal VSG gene is oriented away from the telomere. Our analysis includes the cataloguing of minor genetic variations between the chromosome I homologues and an estimate of crossing-over frequency during genetic exchange. Genetic polymorphisms are exceptionally rare in sequences located within and around the strand-switches between several gene clusters.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Viewing and annotating sequence data with Artemis.

Artemis is a widely used software tool for annotating and viewing sequence data. No database is required to use Artemis. Instead, individual sequence data files can be analysed with little or no formatting, making it particularly suited to the study of small genomes and chromosomes, and straightforward for a novice user to get started. Since its release in 1999, Artemis has been used to annotate a diverse collection of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, ranging from Streptomyces coelicolor to, more recently, a large proportion of the Plasmodium falciparum genome. Artemis allows annotated genomes to be easily browsed and makes it simple to add useful biological information to raw sequence data. This paper gives an overview of some of the features of Artemis and includes how it facilitates manual gene prediction and can provide an overview of entire chromosomes or small compact genomes--useful for uncovering unusual features such as pathogenicity islands.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Genome sequence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

The parasite Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for hundreds of millions of cases of malaria, and kills more than one million African children annually. Here we report an analysis of the genome sequence of P. falciparum clone 3D7. The 23-megabase nuclear genome consists of 14 chromosomes, encodes about 5,300 genes, and is the most (A + T)-rich genome sequenced to date. Genes involved in antigenic variation are concentrated in the subtelomeric regions of the chromosomes. Compared to the genomes of free-living eukaryotic microbes, the genome of this intracellular parasite encodes fewer enzymes and transporters, but a large proportion of genes are devoted to immune evasion and host-parasite interactions. Many nuclear-encoded proteins are targeted to the apicoplast, an organelle involved in fatty-acid and isoprenoid metabolism. The genome sequence provides the foundation for future studies of this organism, and is being exploited in the search for new drugs and vaccines to fight malaria.

Animals↗