Trypanosoma congolense: structure and molecular organization of the surface glycoproteins of two early bloodstream variants.

The complete primary structures of two variant specific glycoproteins (VSGs) of the nannomonad Trypanosoma (N.) congolense are presented. These coat proteins subserve the function of antigenic variation. The secondary structure potentials of both VSGs have been calculated. The amino acid sequences and secondary structure potentials of these VSGs have been compared with the primary structures and secondary structure potentials of several Trypanosoma brucei complex VSGs. In homologous regions, the T. brucei complex VSGs show a pattern of sharply contrasting secondary structure potentials. It has been suggested previously that this pattern gives rise to different folding structures in different members of this polygene protein family. Thus, different short regions of the polypeptide sequence are exposed as antigenic "caps" on the solvent-exposed surface of intact trypanosomes. A sharply contrasting secondary structure potential pattern is also found in regions of the two T. congolense VSGs. However, there is little homology of primary structure between each of the two T. congolense VSGs and any member of the T. brucei complex VSG polygene family whose primary structure has been determined.