{"id":38525,"date":"2026-02-06T10:38:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T10:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/?page_id=38525"},"modified":"2026-02-06T10:52:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T10:52:23","slug":"unraveling-extreme-parasite-biology-the-role-of-vex1-as-splicing-enhancer-in-kinetoplastid-parasites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/unraveling-extreme-parasite-biology-the-role-of-vex1-as-splicing-enhancer-in-kinetoplastid-parasites\/","title":{"rendered":"Unraveling extreme parasite biology \u2013 the role of VEX1 as splicing enhancer in kinetoplastid parasites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"vf-grid | vf-grid__col-3\"><div class=\"vf-grid__col--span-2\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) disproportionately impact impoverished communities, driving up healthcare costs, reducing productivity, and limiting education. Caused by various pathogens, including protozoan parasites, NTDs remain poorly understood due to underinvestment in research, hampering the development of effective treatments. The WHO&#8217;s 2021-2030 roadmap and M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res stress the urgent need for greater research and innovation, particularly to bridge the gap between basic and pre-clinical research.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The scale and efficiency of<em>Variant Surface Glycoprotein <\/em>(<em>VSG<\/em>) mRNA transcription and processing in NTD-causing <em>Trypanosoma brucei<\/em> parasites is unparalleled. The VEX complex, consisting of VEX1 and VEX2, ensures correct subnuclear organisation of <em>VSG<\/em> mRNA processing and monoallelic exclusion &#8211; the expression of a single surface antigen from a single chromosomal locus. The VEX complex also links <em>VSG<\/em> transcription with extremely efficient mRNA processing through trans-splicing<sup>1<\/sup>. The molecular mechanism of how VEX1 contributes to gene expression regulation is unclear, as a molecular function cannot be deduced based on homology and direct molecular interaction partners of VEX1 have not been identified. In EVINCE2, we will combine biochemistry and molecular biology to understand the interactions of the VEX1 protein with chromatin compartments, the transcription apparatus, and trans-spliceosome components. Then, we will functionally characterise the complexes <em>in vivo<\/em> at critical developmental transitions in the insect vector and mammalian host where the expression of <em>VSGs<\/em> is initiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"vf-divider\">\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Eva Kowalinski<\/strong> (EMBL Grenoble),<strong> Mikhail Savitski <\/strong>(EMBL Heidelberg),<strong> Lucy Glover<\/strong> (Institut Pasteur), <strong>Joana Faria<\/strong> (University of York)<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"vf-figure wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" class=\"vf-figure__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/COVER-EVIDENCE2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40061\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/COVER-EVIDENCE2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/COVER-EVIDENCE2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/COVER-EVIDENCE2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-title-left-aligned.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"embl_taxonomy":[],"class_list":["post-38525","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"embl_taxonomy_terms":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38525"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40097,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38525\/revisions\/40097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"embl_taxonomy","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/infection-biology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/embl_taxonomy?post=38525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}