Stop codon readthrough in Trichomonas is a mechanism for gene expression regulation and expanding protein function
Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, a common sexually transmitted infection among women of reproductive and peri-menopausal age. The parasite has an unusually large genome, rich in complex repeats, including a vast repertoire of transposable elements and multi-copy gene families. Since very few T. vaginalis genes have introns, gene expression is usually…
Trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted parasite, possesses a genome with complex repeats and multiple copies of genes. Typically, gene expression in this parasite involves translating from a start codon to a stop codon on unspliced mRNA. However, previous research indicated that stop codon readthrough (SCR) may play a role, where transcription through stop codons generates longer mRNAs, producing fully functional proteins.
Utilizing long-read RNA sequencing and advanced genome assemblies, researchers discovered approximately 1,400 mature mRNAs containing multiple predicted protein-coding genes, termed RT genes. RT genes were found to be more abundant than monocistronic genes and were located closer together than independent genes. The functional annotation revealed that RT genes encode at least 50 diverse protein functions, suggesting SCR is crucial for regulating gene expression and the variety of protein functions in Trichomonas.
These findings suggest SCR is a significant mechanism in controlling gene expression and protein diversity in this parasite.
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