The msl-2 dosage compensation gene of Drosophila encodes a putative DNA-binding protein whose expression is sex specifically regulated by Sex-lethal.
In Drosophila dosage compensation increases the rate of transcription of the male's X chromosome and depends on four autosomal male-specific lethal genes. We have cloned the msl-2 gene and shown that MSL-2 protein is co-localized with the other three MSL proteins at hundreds of sites along the male polytene X chromosome and that this binding requires the other three MSL proteins. msl-2 encodes a protein with a putative DNA-binding domain: the RING finger. MSL-2 protein is not produced in females and sequences in both the 5' and 3' UTRs are important for this sex-specific regulation. Furthermore, msl-2 pre-mRNA is alternatively spliced in a Sex-lethal-dependent fashion in its 5' UTR.
Bashaw
G J
GJ
Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA.
Baker
B S
BS
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014960:X Chromosome
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C067777:Sxl protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; C094166:msl-2 protein, Drosophila