Alternate trans splicing in Trypanosoma equiperdum: implications for splice site selection.

We examined the structures of the 5' ends of mRNAs encoding variant surface glycoprotein 78 (VSG-78) and VSG-1(78) in Trypanosoma equiperdum. Several mRNA species were found for each gene, and all contained the 35-base miniexon (or spliced leader) sequence attached at different positions on their 5' ends. Thus, the generation of multiple messages for each VSG occurred by attachment of the miniexon at one of several 3' splice acceptor sites. The frequency with which individual splice sites were used varied from less than 1 to 95% of the RNA produced from a particular gene. We propose that the miniexon RNA and RNA from the VSG genes may interact via base pairing and that this in part specifies the use of particular acceptor sites. Sequences complementary to the miniexon primary transcript, termed the "med-comp site," were found in both genes and in several published sequences. Splice sites were most often used if they were the first site 3' of the med-comp site and contained a high pyrimidine content in the bases preceding the AG acceptor signal.