Transcriptome, proteome and draft genome of Euglena gracilis

Abstract Background Photosynthetic euglenids are major contributors to fresh water ecosystems. Euglena gracilis in particular has noted metabolic flexibility, reflected by an ability to thrive in a range of harsh environments. E. gracilis has been a popular model organism and of considerable biotechnological interest, but the absence of a gene catalogue has hampered both basic research and translational efforts. Results We report a detailed transcriptome and partial genome for E. gracilis Z1. The nuclear genome is estimated to be around 500 Mb in size, and the transcriptome encodes over 36,000 proteins and the genome possesses less than 1% coding sequence. Annotation of coding sequences indicates a highly sophisticated endomembrane system, RNA processing mechanisms and nuclear genome contributions from several photosynthetic lineages. Multiple gene families, including likely signal transduction components, have been massively expanded. Alterations in protein abundance are controlled post-transcriptionally between light and dark conditions, surprisingly similar to trypanosomatids. Conclusions Our data provide evidence that a range of photosynthetic eukaryotes contributed to the Euglena nuclear genome, evidence in support of the ‘shopping bag’ hypothesis for plastid acquisition. We also suggest that euglenids possess unique regulatory mechanisms for achieving extreme adaptability, through mechanisms of paralog expansion and gene acquisition

Tailoring print materials to match literacy levels:A challenge for document designers and practitioners in adult literacy

One in three South Africans aged 20 and older has not completed primary school, or has no schooling at all. Communication specialists who are in the business of writing public information documents need to take cognisance of this fact if they are committed to producing documents that meet the needs and skill levels of their different audiences. They also need a basic understanding of the reading strategies of both highly skilled and less-skilled readers, an awareness of the differences in processing and acceptance of visuals by skilled and unskilled viewers, and the ability to translate the relevant user variables into textual variables. This article is aimed at giving an overview of the most important theories that describe and/or explain how low-literate audiences process and react to printed information, and to match these theories with research-based principles and best practices for designing readercentred public information documents. The outcome of the article is a comprehensive set of design heuristics for low-literacy public information materials, based on relevant information-processing features that have been derived from the literature on reading comprehension and visual literacy