Allelic exclusion underpins antigenic variation and immune evasion in African trypanosomes. These bloodstream parasites use RNA polymerase-I (pol-I) to transcribe just one telomeric variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene at a time, producing superabundant and switchable VSG coats. We identified trypanosome VSG exclusion-1 (VEX1) using a genetic screen for defects in telomere-exclusive expression. VEX1 was sequestered by the active VSG and silencing of other VSGs failed when VEX1 was either ectopically expressed or depleted, indicating positive and negative regulation, respectively. Positive regulation affected VSGs and nontelomeric pol-I-transcribed genes, whereas negative regulation primarily affected VSGs. Negative regulation by VEX1 also affected telomeric pol-I-transcribed reporter constructs, but only when they contained blocks of sequence sharing homology with a pol-I-transcribed locus. We conclude that restricted positive regulation due to VEX1 sequestration, combined with VEX1-dependent, possibly homology-dependent silencing, drives a "winner-takes-all" mechanism of allelic exclusion.epigenetic | monoallelic | silencing | telomere | Trypanosoma brucei C ells often restrict expression to a single allele of a gene or gene family. This allelic exclusion underpins antigenic variation in pathogens, including trypanosomes that cause sleeping sickness (1) and Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria (2). Allelic exclusion is also essential for singular olfactory receptor expression and a sense of smell in metazoa (3). Although many factors have been identified that are required for the expression of one allele or for the silencing of other alleles in these systems, our understanding of the mechanisms by which expression and silencing are established and coordinated remains incomplete (1-3).The African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei is a flagellated parasitic protozoan transmitted among mammalian hosts by tsetse flies. In addition to causing trypanosomiasis in humans, a fatal and neglected tropical disease, these parasites also cause nagana in cattle. Antigenic variation is essential for persistent bloodstream infection in the face of host adaptive immune defenses and has long been a paradigm for studies on allelic exclusion (1); parasite immune evasion depends upon singular variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene expression and VSG switching. Although multiple subtelomeric VSGs are available for expression (4), only one is transcribed (5). Both active and silent VSGs are located at the ends of polycistronic transcription units known as expression sites (ESs) (6). Notably, VSG-ES promoters (6) recruit RNA polymerase-I (pol-I) that typically transcribes ribosomal RNA genes (7). Indeed, the active VSG-ES is associated with an extranucleolar focus of pol-I known as the expression-site body (ESB) (8-10). Although the active VSG-ES is specifically depleted of nucleosomes (11, 12), silent VSG-ESs are similarly located in the extranucleolar space in bloodstream-form cells, and neither active nor silent VSG-ESs show an ...

The largest gene families in eukaryotes are subject to allelic exclusion, but mechanisms underpinning single allele selection and inheritance remain unclear. Here, we describe a protein complex sustaining variant surface glycoprotein ( VSG ) allelic exclusion and antigenic variation in Trypanosoma brucei parasites. The VSG- exclusion-1 (VEX1) protein binds both telomeric VSG -associated chromatin and VEX2, an ortholog of nonsense-mediated-decay helicase, UPF1. VEX1 and VEX2 assemble in an RNA polymerase-I transcription-dependent manner and sustain the active, subtelomeric VSG -associated transcription compartment. VSG transcripts and VSG coats become highly heterogeneous when VEX proteins are depleted. Further, the DNA replication-associated chromatin assembly factor, CAF-1, binds to and specifically maintains VEX1 compartmentalisation following DNA replication. Thus, the VEX-complex controls VSG -exclusion, while CAF-1 sustains VEX-complex inheritance in association with the active- VSG . Notably, the VEX2-orthologue and CAF-1 in mammals are also implicated in exclusion and inheritance functions. In trypanosomes, these factors sustain a highly effective and paradigmatic immune evasion strategy.