Ivens A C, Blackwell J M
Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
Curr Opin Genet Dev. 1996 Dec;6(6):704-10. doi: 10.1016/s0959-437x(96)80024-4.
The past few years have been significant advances in our understanding of eukaryotic genomes. In the field of parasitology, this is best exemplified by the application of genome mapping techniques to the study of genome structure and function in the protozoan parasite, Leishmania. Although much is known about the organism and the diseases it causes, molecular genetics has only recently begun to play a major part in elucidating some of the unusual characteristics of this interesting parasite. Mapping of the small (35 Mb) genome and determination of the functional role of genes by the application of in vitro homologous gene targeting techniques are revealing novel avenues for the development of prophylactic measures.
在过去几年里，我们对真核生物基因组的理解取得了重大进展。在寄生虫学领域，基因组图谱技术应用于原生动物寄生虫利什曼原虫的基因组结构和功能研究，便是最好的例证。尽管我们对这种生物体及其引发的疾病已有很多了解，但分子遗传学直到最近才开始在阐明这种有趣寄生虫的一些独特特征方面发挥重要作用。通过应用体外同源基因靶向技术对小基因组（35兆碱基）进行图谱绘制以及确定基因的功能作用，正为预防性措施的开发揭示新途径。
