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Table 1 Varying genes and known mechanisms of variation in different pathogens

From: Parasite epigenetics and immune evasion: lessons from budding yeast

Species

Varying genes (number of genes given in parentheses)

Mechanisms involved in gene variation

Reference(s)

Trypanosoma brucei

VSG (>1,000)

Epigenetic switches, DNA recombination

[3]

Pneumocystis carinii

MSG (160)

DNA recombination

[5, 6]

Plasmodium falciparum

VAR (60), rifin (150 to 200), and stevor (30 to 35)

Epigenetic switches

[7–10]

Candida glabrata

EPA (23)

Epigenetic switches

[2, 11]

Giardia lamblia

VSP (220)

RNA interference

[12–14]

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Various subtelomeric genes

Epigenetic switches

[15, 16]

S. cerevisiae

Mating type loci (HMR α and HMLα)

DNA recombination

[17]