Pervasive, temperature-driven re-programming of mRNA-structure in African trypanosomes

A PARTE (Parallel Analysis of RNA structure with Temperature Elevation) experiment was performed to map the temperature-induced dynamic of mRNA folding in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. The experiment is based on the deep sequencing of mRNA fragments derived from nucleolytic digests with single-strand- and double-strand-specific nucleases (nuclease S1, RNase V1). Enzyme digests were performed at four different temperatures (18, 27, 37, and 55°C), which enabled the simultaneous in vitro profiling of the changes in secondary (2D) structure of thousands of transcripts at single nucleotide resolution. The data demonstrate a pervasive, temperature-induced structural refolding of the T. brucei transcriptome specifically in the temperature window characteristic for the transition from the insect (27°C) to the bloodstream life cycle stage (37°C) of the parasite.