Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
3423533 Trends in Parasitology 2010 5 Pages PDF
Abstract

The genomes of trypanosomatids are distantly related to other eukaryotes, with significant numbers of hypothetical or conserved hypothetical trypanosomatid-specific genes, whose functions cannot be determined using homology-dependent annotation methods. Here, we describe homology-independent methods to infer biological functions of genes based solely on their sequences. These approaches are not limited to trypanosomatid genomes and provide grounds for analysis of genomes of Plasmodium falciparum and other parasites associated with neglected tropical diseases. A critical evaluation of the current state of annotation of parasitic genomes endorses the need to exploit homology-independent computational methods, which can identify protein functions, potentially including essential genes, and provide a plethora of valuable information on interaction networks and regulatory elements.

Related Topics
Life Sciences Immunology and Microbiology Parasitology
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