Evolution of the variant surface glycoprotein family in African trypanosomes

Sara Silva Pereira, Andrew P. Jackson, Luísa M. Figueiredo*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An intriguing and remarkable feature of African trypanosomes is their antigenic variation system, mediated by the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) family and fundamental to both immune evasion and disease epidemiology within host populations. Recent studies have revealed that the VSG repertoire has a complex evolutionary history. Sequence diversity, genomic organization, and expression patterns are species-specific, which may explain other variations in parasite virulence and disease pathology. Evidence also shows that we may be underestimating the extent to what VSGs are repurposed beyond their roles as variant antigens, establishing a need to examine VSG functionality more deeply. Here, we review sequence variation within the VSG gene family, and highlight the many opportunities to explore their likely diverse contributions to parasite survival.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)23-36
Number of pages14
JournalTrends in Parasitology
Volume38
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • African trypanosomes
  • African trypanosomiasis
  • Antigenic diversity
  • Antigenic variation
  • Nagana
  • Variant surface glycoproteins

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