The Drosophila GAGA factor is required for dosage compensation in males and for the formation of the male-specific-lethal complex chromatin entry site at 12DE.
Drosophila melanogaster males have one X chromosome, while females have two. To compensate for the resulting disparity in X-linked gene expression between the two sexes, most genes from the male X chromosome are hyperactivated by a special dosage compensation system. Dosage compensation is achieved by a complex of at least six proteins and two noncoding RNAs that specifically associate with the male X. A central question is how the X chromosome is recognized. According to a current model, complexes initially assemble at approximately 35 chromatin entry sites on the X and then spread bidirectionally along the chromosome where they occupy hundreds of sites. Here, we report that mutations in Trithorax-like (Trl) lead to the loss of a single chromatin entry site on the X, male lethality, and mislocalization of dosage compensation complexes.
Greenberg
Anthony J
AJ
Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
Yanowitz
Judith L
JL
Schedl
Paul
P
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics
D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C063460:Trl protein, Drosophila