HYBRIDIZATION MAPPING OF TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI CHROMOSOME-III AND CHROMOSOME-IV

As part of the Trypanosoma Genome Initiative launched by the World Hea lth Organization (WHO), a physical clone map of Trypanosoma cruzi chro mosomes III and IV was generated to facilitate both DNA sequence analy sis of the parasite's genome and the investigation of chromosome organ ization. Apart from a few genetic markers, anonymous cosmids were take n from chromosomal sublibraries and individually hybridized to filter arrays of the relevant cosmid library. The probe order was determined from the hybridization fingerprint results and used to define a fittin g clone order, with few gaps remaining. The results were independently verified by hybridizations to a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and, in case of chromosome III, restriction mapping. For gap closure, additional experiments on a total cosmid library were carried out. The possible tiling paths consist of 26 clones for chromosome II I (610 kbp) and 28 clones for chromosome IV (680 kbp).