Epigenetic regulation of gene expression in protozoa parasites: Antigenic variation in pathogenic trypanosomes

The group's research investigates specific molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression in trypanosomes. Identification of unique molecular mechanisms, as they provide selective processes as new therapeutic targets while promoting our understanding eukaryotes gene expression. We provided evidences supporting a model based on nuclear architecture for VSG-ES epigenetic regulation. Recruitment-dependent activation of a single VSG-ES by the unique nuclear body ESB, allows monoallelic expression, while transcriptional switching occurs by VSG-ES/ESB interaction exchange. The VSG telomer repositions to the nuclear envelope during development VSG silencing to the insect form. Most recently, our group has succeeded in characterizing Pol II promoter sequences in T. brucei for the first time. This discovery challenges the traditional view that pol II transcription of coding-genes in trypanosomes lacks of promoters and is unregulated, redefining current knowledge in this field.