MLE functions as a transcriptional regulator of the roX2 gene.
Dosage compensation is a process that equalizes transcription activity between the sexes. In Drosophila, two non-coding RNA, roX1 and roX2, and at least six protein regulators, MSL-1, MSL-2, MSL-3, MLE, MOF, and JIL-1, have been identified as essential for dosage compensation. Although there is accumulating evidence of the intricate functional and physical interactions between protein and RNA regulators, little is known about how roX RNA expression and function are modulated in coordination with protein regulators. In this report, we have found that a relatively short (about 350 bp) upstream genomic region of the roX2 gene, Prox2, harbors an activity that drives transcription of the downstream gene. Our study has shown that MLE can stimulate the transcription activity of Prox2 and that MLE associates with Prox2 through direct interaction with a newly identified 54-bp repeat, Prox. Our observations suggest a novel mechanism by which roX2 RNA is regulated at the transcriptional level.
Lee
Chee-Gun
CG
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA. leecg@umdnj.edu
Reichman
Trevor W
TW
Baik
Tina
T
Mathews
Michael B
MB
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C092595:Pabp2 protein, Drosophila; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C070837:mle protein, Drosophila; C082132:msl-1 protein, Drosophila; D004265:DNA Helicases