The Drosophila Polycomb group gene Sex combs extra encodes the ortholog of mammalian Ring1 proteins.
In Drosophila, the Polycomb group (PcG) of genes is required for the maintenance of homeotic gene repression during development. Here, we have characterized the Drosophila ortholog of the products of the mammalian Ring1/Ring1A and Rnf2/Ring1B genes. We show that Drosophila Ring corresponds to the Sex combs extra (Sce), a previously described PcG gene. We find that Ring/Sce is expressed and required throughout development and that the extreme Pc embryonic phenotype due to the lack of maternal and zygotic Sce can be rescued by ectopic expression of Ring/Sce. This phenotypic rescue is also obtained by ectopic expression of the murine Ring1/Ring1A, suggesting a functional conservation of the proteins during evolution. In addition, we find that Ring/Sce binds to about 100 sites on polytene chromosomes, 70% of which overlap those of other PcG products such as Polycomb, Posterior sex combs and Polyhomeotic, and 30% of which are unique. We also show that Ring/Sce interacts directly with PcG proteins, as it occurs in mammals.
Gorfinkiel
Nicole
N
Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Fanti
Laura
L
Melgar
Teresa
T
García
Emiliano
E
Pimpinelli
Sergio
S
Guerrero
Isabel
I
Vidal
Miguel
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051943:Antennapedia Homeodomain Protein; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D020161:Physical Chromosome Mapping; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D051943:Antennapedia Homeodomain Protein; C497974:Antp protein, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C066770:Pc protein, Drosophila; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; C489840:Ring1 protein, mouse