Unpaired genes do not silence their paired neighbors.
During meiotic chromosome pairing, a loop of unpaired DNA induces the silencing of all paired and unpaired homologous DNA via meiotic silencing, an RNA-mediated post-transcriptional gene-silencing mechanism. To test the effect of unpaired DNA on adjacent genes, we constructed strains containing the DNA of a transformation marker integrated immediately downstream of the Ascospore maturation-1 ( Asm-1) gene and tested whether this unpaired DNA silences asm-1(+). We conclude that unpaired downstream DNA has no effect on Asm-1 expression during meiosis or ascospore development, which suggests that the silencing signal produced by unpaired DNA does not propagate onto adjacent paired regions.
Kutil
Brandi L
BL
Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Texas A&M University, Room 206, Peterson Building, TX 77843-2132, College Station, USA.
Seong
Kye-Yong
KY
Aramayo
Rodolfo
R
D023902:Chromosome Pairing; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D020868:Gene Silencing; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009491:Neurospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism