TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LEISHMANIA-MAJOR HSP70-I GENE LOCUS DOES NOT PROCEED THROUGH THE NONCODING REGION

Primary transcripts in kinetoplastid protozoa an generally assumed to he multicistronic, We have analysed the transcription in the gene locu s which encodes the 70-kDa heat shock protein by using nuclear nln-on analysis. We find that RNA synthesis in the Hsp70-1 gene locus either is terminated or pauses within the intergenic region approximately 250 nt downstream of the polyadenylation site. We therefore propose a dis continuous mode of transcription in the Hsp70 genes of Leishmania majo r. (C) 1997 Academic Press.