title: Protein-protein interactions among components of the Drosophila primary sex determination signal.
abstract: Sex determination in Drosophila melanogaster is initiated in the early embryo by a signal provided by three types of genes: (1) X-linked numerator elements [e.g., sisterless-a (sis-a) and sisterless-b (sis-b)], (2) autosomally linked denominator elements [e.g., deadpan (dpn)], and (3) maternal factors [e.g., daughterless (da)]. This signal acts to stimulate transcription from an embryo-specific promoter of the master regulatory gene Sex-lethal (Sxl) in embryos that have two X chromosomes (females), while it fails to activate Sxl in those with only one X (males). It has been previously proposed that competitive dimerizations among the components of this signal might provide the molecular basis for this sex specificity. Here, we use the yeast two-hybrid system to demonstrate specific protein-protein interactions among the above-mentioned factors, and to delimit their interacting domains. These results support and extend the model of the molecular basis of the X/A ratio signal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Syracuse University, NY 13244, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Belote
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C090080:Da protein, Drosophila; C067777:Sxl protein, Drosophila; C089197:sc protein, Drosophila; C083170:sisA protein, Drosophila; C078020:Dpn protein, Drosophila