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The VSGs that come to dominate\n                    <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>\n                    during an infection are not entirely random, but display a hierarchical order. How this arises is not fully understood. Combining available genetic data with mathematical modelling, we report a VSG-length-dependent hierarchical timing of clonal VSG dominance in a mouse model, consistent with an inverse correlation between VSG length and trypanosome growth-rate. Our analyses indicate that, among parasites switching to new VSGs, those expressing shorter VSGs preferentially accumulate to a detectable level that is sufficient to trigger a targeted immune response. This may be due to the increased metabolic cost of producing longer VSGs. Subsequent elimination of faster-growing parasites then allows slower-growing parasites with longer VSGs to accumulate. This interaction between the host and parasite is able to explain the temporal distribution of VSGs observed\n                    <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>\n                    . Thus, our findings reveal a length-dependent hierarchy that operates during\n                    <jats:italic>T. brucei<\/jats:italic>\n                    infection. This represents a \u2018feint attack\u2019 diversion tactic utilised by these persistent parasites to out-maneuver the host adaptive immune system.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-29296-8","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,7,13]],"date-time":"2018-07-13T06:36:10Z","timestamp":1531463770000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Faster growth with shorter antigens can explain a VSG hierarchy during African trypanosome infections: a feint attack by parasites"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Dianbo","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8151-6989","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luca","family":"Albergante","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"T. J.","family":"Newman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5173-9284","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Horn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,7,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"29296_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1016\/0169-4758(91)90143-C","volume":"7","author":"JD Barry","year":"1991","unstructured":"Barry, J. D. & Turner, C. M. The dynamics of antigenic variation and growth of African trypanosomes. Parasitol Today 7, 207\u2013211 (1991).","journal-title":"Parasitol Today"},{"key":"29296_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molbiopara.2014.05.001","volume":"195","author":"D Horn","year":"2014","unstructured":"Horn, D. Antigenic variation in African trypanosomes. 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