The Promoter for the Procyclic Acidic Repetitive Protein (PARP) Genes of Trypanosoma brucei Shares Features with RNA Polymerase I Promoters

All eukaryotic protein-coding genes are believed to be transcribed by RNA polymerase (Pol) II. An exception may exist in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, in which the genes encoding the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) and procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) are transcribed by an RNA polymerase that is resistant to the Pol II inhibitor α-amanitin. The PARP and VSG genes were proposed to be transcribed by Pol I (C. Shea, M. …