ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the major molecular sequence resources that exist and highlight the insights that each data type has revealed. It deals with the Cryptosporidium parvum karyotype and proceeds through the various sequence data sets that have been generated, including the complete genome sequence, and ends with evolutionary insights derived from comparative genomics and future prospects. Cryptosporidium parvum has a small genome for a eukaryote. Functional genomic analyses in Cryptosporidium are hampered by the availability of purified parasite material from intracellular developmental stages. These limitations do not apply to sporozoites and proteomic data that are available for sporozoites and from nonexcysted and excysting sporozoites. NIH has funded projects for Cryptosporidium via proteomics and structural genomics resource center initiatives, and several crystal structures for C. parvum proteins were published. Comparative genomics has revealed a highly streamlined, yet mosaic, genome with numerous genes acquired from bacteria.
