Targets of homeotic gene regulation in Drosophila.
We have used a chromatin immunopurification approach to identify target genes regulated by the homeotic gene Ultrabithorax. A monoclonal antibody against the Ultrabithorax gene product is used to immunopurify in vivo Ultrabithorax protein binding sites in embryonic chromatin. The procedure gives an enrichment of sequences with matches to a consensus homeodomain binding site. In one case we have shown that an immunopurified sequence lies within a 4 kb fragment that acts in vivo as a homeotic response element. We anticipate that this approach will enable us to identify further targets, allowing the analysis of their regulation and function. The chromatin immunopurification strategy may be of general application for the identification of direct in vivo targets of DNA-binding proteins.
Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, UK.
R A
RA
White
J J
JJ
Brookman
A P
AP
Gould
L A
LA
Meadows
L S
LS
Shashidhara
D I
DI
Strutt
T A
TA
Weaver
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007120:Immunochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014157:Transcription Factors
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C066177:Ubx protein, Drosophila; D004247:DNA