Trypanosoma cruzi genome: transcriptional mapping and karyotype correlation; molecular characterization of a surface antigen from the Tc13 family.

We describe herein the genome mapping of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, by hybridization of a cosmid library gridded in high density filters with cDNA from an epimastigote expression library as p robes. We also show the correlation of some cosmid contigs with parasite ch romosomal bands. With libraries from the T. cruzi Genome Project we have ch aracterized a new member of the Tc13 family belonging to the superfamily of trypomastigote surface antigens. Starting with a Tulahuen strain (Tul 2 st ock) clone, homologous to these antigens, we have sequenced and characteriz ed the complete gene in the CL Strain (CL Brener clone). We have also found homologies with different ESTs which characterization would lead to furthe r knowledge of this antigen family.