Repeated, protein-encoding heterochromatic genes cause inactivation of a juxtaposed euchromatic gene.
Euchromatic genes are often silenced by rearrangements that place them within or near heterochromatin, a phenomenon known as position effect variegation (PEV). However, little is known about molecular structure of cis-acting heterochromatic fragments responsible for PEV. Here we report that heterochromatic cluster containing Stellate repeats, that encode putative regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2 cause PEV of a reporter white 'mini-gene'. It is the first example of an euchromatic gene being silenced because of the proximity to the natural, well-defined heterochromatic repeat cluster.
Tulin
A V
AV
Department of Animal Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
Naumova
N M
NM
Aravin
A A
AA
Gvozdev
V A
VA
D000818:Animals; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D022041:Euchromatin; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000235:genetics; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
D002843:Chromatin; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D022041:Euchromatin; D006570:Heterochromatin; D019476:Insect Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C094331:Ste protein, Drosophila