TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI MINICIRCLES ENCODE MULTIPLE GUIDE RNAS WHICH CAN DIRECT EDITING OF EXTENSIVELY OVERLAPPING SEQUENCES

Small guide RNAs (gRNAs) may direct RNA editing in kinetoplastid mitoc hondria. We have characterized multiple gRNA genes from Trypanosoma br ucei (EATRO 164), that can specify up to 30% of the editing of the COI II, ND7, ND8, and A6 mRNAs and we have also found that the non-transla ted region of edited COIII mRNA of strain (EATRO 164) differs from tha t of another strain. Several of the gRNAs specify overlapping regions of the same mRNA often specifying sequence beyond that required for an anchor duplex with the next gRNA. Some gRNAs have different sequence but specify identical editing of the same region of mRNA. These data i ndicate a complex gRNA population and consequent complex pattern of ed iting in T.brucei.