Identification of a necessary element for Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 gene expression

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 116; no. 2; pp. 175 - 181
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jiaqin, Gu, Qinmin, Hou, Xianghua, Zhou, Huaiyu, Cong, Hua, Li, Ying, Zhao, Qunli, Li, Shouqing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.06.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan - biosynthesis; Antigens, Protozoan - genetics; Antigens, Surface - biosynthesis; Antigens, Surface - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; DNA Probes - chemistry; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; EMSA; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation - physiology; Gene regulation; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Life cycle. Host-agent relationship. Pathogenesis; Luciferases - genetics; Mutagenesis; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Plasmids; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Protozoa; Protozoan Proteins - biosynthesis; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Protozoan - chemistry; SAG1; Tandem Repeat Sequences - physiology; Toxoplasma - genetics; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; Transfection; Toxoplasma gondii; Mutagenesis; Gene regulation; EMSA; SAG1; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Gene; Parasite; Gene expression
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2006.11.007

SAG1 codes for the stage-specific major surface antigen P30 of Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii) tachyzoites. Six tandemly repeated, conserved 27 bp cassettes in the region from −231 to −70 bp were previously confirmed to be essential for high-level expression of SAG1 and serve as a positioning element directing the initiation of transcription. We demonstrate here that an element located between +19 and +28 bp is necessary for SAG1 gene expression by using deletion mutagenesis analysis and electrophoresis mobility shift assay ( EMSA). This will provide an insight into the regulatory mechanisms of SAG1 gene expression.