Regulation of the different chromatin states of autosomes and X chromosomes in the germ line of C. elegans.
The Maternal-Effect Sterile (MES) proteins are essential for germline viability in Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we report that MES-4, a SET-domain protein, binds to the autosomes but not to the X chromosomes. MES-2, MES-3, and MES-6 are required to exclude MES-4 and markers of active chromatin from the X chromosomes. These findings strengthen the emerging view that in the C. elegans germ line, the X chromosomes differ in chromatin state from the autosomes and are generally silenced. We propose that all four MES proteins participate in X-chromosome silencing, and that the role of MES-4 is to exclude repressors from the autosomes, thus enabling efficient repression of the Xs.
Fong
Youyi
Y
Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Bender
Laurel
L
Wang
Wenchao
W
Strome
Susan
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008938:Mitosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; C098864:Mes-3 protein, C elegans; C449639:Mes-4 protein, C elegans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; C113414:mes-2 protein, C elegans; C113415:mes-6 protein, C elegans