Kinetoplast DNA, the mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomatids, is a remarkable DNA structure that contains, in the species Crithidia fasciculata, 5000 topologically linked duplex DNA minicircles. Their replication initiates at two conserved sequences, a dodecamer, known as the universal minicircle sequence (UMS), and a hexamer, which are located at the replication origins of the minicircle L and H ...

The phylogenetic relationships of avian trypanosomes, common parasites of birds, remain ambiguous and validity of many species is questionable. Analyses based on 18S rRNA sequences, dimensions of the kinetoplast disc and the size of kinetoplast (k) DNA minicircles were used to differentiate among large trypanosomes parasitizing birds of the Old World. These trypanosomes with typical striated ap...

Several unit-length minicircles from the kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania tarentolae were cloned into pBR322 and into M13 phage vectors. The complete nucleotide sequences of three different partially homologous minicircles were obtained. The molecules contained a region of approx. 80% sequence homology extending for 160-270 bp and a region unique to each minicircle . A 14-mer was found to be conse...

Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) of trypanosomatid parasites is a network of approximately 5000 catenated DNA minicircles and approximately 25 maxicircles. We developed the following strategy to deduce the topological linkage of the minicircles of the Crithidia fasciculata network. First, we used graph theory to provide precise models of possible network structures. Second, on the basis of these models, ...

Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA), the mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, is an enormous network of interlocked minicircles and maxicircles. We selectively removed minicircles from Trypanosoma equiperdum kDNA networks by restriction enzyme cleavage. Maxicircles remained in aggregates that were resistant to protease or RNase and contained no residual minicircles, but were resolved into circular monomers by...

Heishui county, located in northwest Sichuan province, southwestern China, is an endemic area of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and is the most intractable area. VL is never destroyed in it. Asymptomatic dogs (Leishmania parasites have been diagnosed but clinically healthy) are considered to be a potential reservoir host in zoonotic VL area, and most can lead to infection of individuals, ...

objective: ajowan is an annual herbaceous essential oil of carum copticom. the main components of the oil are tymol, β-pinene, γ- terpinene and sabinene.the fruit oil of carum copticum has been reported to have several therapeutic effects including anti fungal, anti bacterial and anti viral,... candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus and transforms into pathogenic form in favorable conditio...

Human African trypanosomiasis is a devastating disease with only a few treatment options, including pentamidine. Diamidine compounds such as pentamidine, DB75, and DB820 are potent antitrypanosomal compounds. Previous investigations have shown that diamidines accumulate to high concentrations in trypanosomes. However, the mechanism of action of this class of compounds remains unknown. A long-hy...

Trypanosoma brucei has a single nucleus and a single kinetoplast (the mitochondrial genome). Each of these organelles has a distinct S phase, which is followed by a segregation period, prior to cell division. The segregation of the two genomes takes place in a specific temporal order by interaction with microtubule-based structures, the spindle for nuclear DNA and the flagellum basal bodies for...

The mitochondrial genome of Trypanosoma brucei is contained in a specialized structure termed the kinetoplast. Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) is organized into a concatenated network of mini and maxicircles, positioned at the base of the flagellum, to which it is physically attached. Here we have used electron microscope cytochemistry to determine structural and functional domains involved in replicati...