title: A functional dosage compensation complex required for male killing in Drosophila.
abstract: Bacteria that selectively kill males ("male-killers") were first characterized more than 50 years ago in Drosophila and have proved to be common in insects. However, the mechanism by which sex specificity of virulence is achieved has remained unknown. We tested the ability of Spiroplasma poulsonii to kill Drosophila melanogaster males carrying mutations in genes that encode the dosage compensation complex. The bacterium failed to kill males lacking any of the five protein components of the complex.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University College London, Wolfson House, 4 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HE, UK.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Veneti
authors.forename: Joanna K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koana
authors.forename: Henk R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Braig
authors.forename: Gregory D D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hurst
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006579:Heterozygote; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C070837:mle protein, Drosophila; C082132:msl-1 protein, Drosophila; C094166:msl-2 protein, Drosophila; C093904:msl-3 protein, Drosophila; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; C111063:mof protein, Drosophila; D004265:DNA Helicases