The male-specific lethal-one (msl-1) gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a novel protein that associates with the X chromosome in males.
Male-specific lethal-one (msl-1) is one of four genes that are required for dosage compensation in Drosophila males. To determine the molecular basis of msl-1 regulation of dosage compensation, we have cloned the gene and characterized its products. The predicted msl-1 protein (MSL-1) has no significant similarity to proteins in the current data bases but contains an acidic N terminus characteristic of proteins involved in transcription and chromatin modeling. We present evidence that the msl-1 protein is associated with hundreds of sites along the length of the X chromosome in male, but not in female, nuclei. Our findings support the hypothesis that msl-1 plays a direct role in increasing the level of X-linked gene transcription in male nuclei.
Palmer
M J
MJ
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-3280.
Mergner
V A
VA
Richman
R
R
Manning
J E
JE
Kuroda
M I
MI
Lucchesi
J C
JC
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D016386:Chromosome Walking; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014960:X Chromosome
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C082132:msl-1 protein, Drosophila; D004247:DNA