TY - JOUR
T1 - The topology of the kinetoplast DNA network
AU - Chen, Junghuei
AU - Rauch, Carol A.
AU - White, James H.
AU - Englund, Paul T.
AU - Cozzarelli, Nicholas R.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Sylvia Spengler for her advice and encouragement throughout the project, and Hal Heydt of the Society for Creative Anachronism for the construction of the chain mail models of the kDNA networks. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (GM31657) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES01896-15) to N. R. C., from the MacArthur Foundation and National Institutes of Health (GM27608) to P. T. E., and from the National Science Foundation (DMS-8820208) to J. W. and N. R. C.; C. A. R. was supported by Medical Scientist Training Grant 5T32G M07309.
PY - 1995/1/13
Y1 - 1995/1/13
N2 - Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) of trypanosomatid parasites is a network of ∼5000 catenated DNA minicircles and ∼25 maxicircles. We developed the following strategy to deduce the topological linkage of the minicircles of the Crithidia fasciculata network. First, we used graph theory to provide precise models of possible network structures. Second, on the basis of these models, we predicted the frequencies of minicircle oligomers expected from random network breakage. Third, we determined the fragmentation pattern of kDNA networks as a function of the extent of digestion. Fourth, by comparison of the results with the predictions, we identified the model that best represents the network. We conclude that each minicircle is linked on average to three other minicircles. A honeycomb arrangement probably results, with each minicircle typically at the vertex of a hexagonal cell. This topology has implications for the assembly, structure, and function of kDNA networks.
AB - Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) of trypanosomatid parasites is a network of ∼5000 catenated DNA minicircles and ∼25 maxicircles. We developed the following strategy to deduce the topological linkage of the minicircles of the Crithidia fasciculata network. First, we used graph theory to provide precise models of possible network structures. Second, on the basis of these models, we predicted the frequencies of minicircle oligomers expected from random network breakage. Third, we determined the fragmentation pattern of kDNA networks as a function of the extent of digestion. Fourth, by comparison of the results with the predictions, we identified the model that best represents the network. We conclude that each minicircle is linked on average to three other minicircles. A honeycomb arrangement probably results, with each minicircle typically at the vertex of a hexagonal cell. This topology has implications for the assembly, structure, and function of kDNA networks.
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U2 - 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90451-4
DO - 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90451-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 7813018
AN - SCOPUS:0028894215
SN - 0092-8674
VL - 80
SP - 61
EP - 69
JO - Cell
JF - Cell
IS - 1
ER -