The transcriptomes of Trypanosoma brucei Lister 427 and TREU927 bloodstream and procyclic trypomastigotes

We describe developmentally regulated genes in two strains of Trypanosoma brucei: the monomorphic strain Lister 427 and the pleomorphic strain TREU927. Expression patterns were obtained using an array of 24,567 genomic fragments. Probes were prepared from bloodstream-form or procyclic-form trypanosomes. Fourteen procyclic-specific and 77 bloodstream-specific signals were obtained from sequences matching variant surface glycoprotein or associated genes, and a further 17 regulated sequences were repetitive or transposable-element-related. Two hundred and eighty-six regulated spots corresponded to mRNAs from other protein-coding genes; these spots represent 191 different proteins. Regulation of 113 different genes (79 from procyclic forms, 34 from bloodstream-forms) was supported by at least two independent experiments or criteria; of these, about 60 were novel. Only two genes – encoding HSP83 and an importin-related protein – appeared to be regulated in the TREU927 strain only. Our results confirmed previous estimates that 2% of trypanosome genes show developmental regulation at the mRNA level.