Comprehensive analysis of the Kinetoplastea intron landscape reveals a novel intron-containing gene and the first exclusively trans-splicing eukaryote.

Background: In trypanosomatids, a group of unicellular eukaryotes that includes numerous important human parasites, cis-splicing has been previously reported for only two genes: a poly(A) polymerase and an RNA helicase. Conversely, trans-splicing, which involves the attachment of a spliced leader sequence, is observed for nearly every protein-coding transcript. So far, our understanding of splicing in this protistan group has stemmed from the analysis of only a few medically relevant species.

Thermoplastic Starch with Maltodextrin: Preparation, Morphology, Rheology, and Mechanical Properties.

This work describes the preparation of highly homogeneous thermoplastic starches (TPS's) with the addition of 0, 5, or 10 wt.% of maltodextrin (MD) and 0 or 3 wt.% of TiO nanoparticles.

On the possibility of yet a third kinetochore system in the protist phylum Euglenozoa.

Unlabelled: Transmission of genetic material from one generation to the next is a fundamental feature of all living cells. In eukaryotes, a macromolecular complex called the kinetochore plays crucial roles during chromosome segregation by linking chromosomes to spindle microtubules. Little is known about this process in evolutionarily diverse protists.

A novel nabelschnur protein regulates segregation of the kinetoplast DNA in Trypanosoma brucei.

The acquisition of mitochondria was imperative for initiating eukaryogenesis and thus is a characteristic feature of eukaryotic cells. The parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei contains a singular mitochondrion with a unique mitochondrial genome, termed the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). Replication of the kDNA occurs during the G phase of the cell cycle, prior to the start of nuclear DNA replication.