Based on the similarities and differences you identified earlier between T. Brucei, P. Falciparum, and T. Cruzi, do you predict
that P. Falciparum and T. Cruzi undergo similar antigenic variation? Why or why not?
1 answer:
Answer:
Yes, P. Falciparum and T. Cruzi undergo similar antigenic variation because of repetitive genomes evolved by time.
Explanation:
Living (i.e., actively proliferating) repeats are dynamic elements which reshape their host genomes by generating rearrangements, creating and destroying genes, shuffling existing genes, and modulating patterns of expression. Dead repeats (i.e., those which are no longer able to proliferate) constitute a palaeontological record, which can be mined for clues about evolutionary events and impetus. The dynamic nature of repeats leads to a rapid evolutionary divergence that can be used in species identification and phylogenetic inference. Repeats can also provide passive markers for studying processes of mutation and selection.
The genomes of these protozoan parasites, like all eukaryotic genomes, have been colonized by diverse repetitive elements. Repetitive sequences can be artificially divided into two groups: interspersed repeats and tandemly repeated DNA. P. falciparum undergoes antigenic variation ans similar anitgenic variation is present in t. cruzi because of repetitive sequences resembling each other.
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