Organization and chromosomal localization of β-tubulin genes in Leishmania donovani

Abstract

The genomic organization and chromosomal location of theß-tubulin isogenes inLeishmania donovani promastigotes has been studied by nucleic acid hybridization techniques using a cloned β-tubulin gene. We have cloned a β-tubulin gene fragment, 3.3 kbp long, from genomic DNA ofLeishmania donovani using a heterologous β-tubulin DNA as probe. Restriction maps of this clone have been prepared. It has been estimated that there are approximately 11-15 copies of the β-tubulin genes per haploid genome. The majority of these isogenes are arranged in a tandem repeat with a length of 3.5 kbp on a single chromosome. In addition a few dispersed gene copies at different chromosomal loci were detected by pulse field gradient gel electrophoresis. Part of the internal coding region of the gene has been sequenced to confirm the identity of the β-tubulin clone and is found to be nearly identical to that of Leishmania mexicana amazonensis.