Direct Nanopore Sequencing of mRNA Reveals Landscape of Transcript Isoforms in Apicomplexan Parasites
V. Vern Lee, Louise M. Judd, Aaron R. Jex, Kathryn E. Holt, Christopher J. Tonkin, Stuart A. Ralph
Abstract
We have used a novel nanopore sequencing technology to directly analyze parasite transcriptomes. The very long reads of this technology reveal the full-length genes of the parasites that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis. Gene transcripts must be processed in a process called splicing before they can be translated to protein. Our analysis reveals that these parasites very frequently only partially process their gene products, in a manner that departs dramatically from their human hosts.
Topics & Concepts
GeneBiologyAlternative splicingGene isoformNanoporeRNA splicingNanopore sequencingTranscriptomeMessenger RNAComputational biologyGeneticsDNA sequencingGene expressionRNANanotechnologyMaterials scienceRNA modifications and cancerGenomics and Phylogenetic StudiesToxoplasma gondii Research Studies