A PUTATIVE PYRUVATE-DEHYDROGENASE ALPHA-SUBUNIT GENE FROM TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI

A full-length DNA clone encoding a putative pyruvate dehydrogenase alp ha subunit (E1 alpha) gene was isolated from a Trypanosoma cruzi (RA s train) DNA library. Sequencing of this clone revealed it to encode a 3 78 amino acid protein (M(r) 42774) with high sequence similarity to E1 alpha obtained from different sources. The highest score is obtained with human E1 alpha: 43,3% similarity. Southern blot analysis is consi stent with the existence of a single copy of this putative T. cruzi E1 alpha gene per haploid genome in different parasite strains. Expressi on of this gene was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis and its tra ns-splicing acceptor site was identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction- mediated amplification of its cDNA.