A possible flip-flop genetic mechanism for reciprocal gene expression.
Innexins are a family of transmembrane proteins involved in the formation of gap junctions, specific intercellular channels, in invertebrates. Analyses of the entire innexin family during Drosophila melanogaster embryonic development shows the occurrence of complex and specific patterns of expression of the different genes. Innexins inx-2 and inx-7, in general, do not appear to exhibit extensive co-expression in different D. melanogaster cellular compartments. We propose here a new and robust mechanism, based on our analysis of the genomic organization of inx-2 and inx-7, that structurally justifies the reciprocal expression of genes.
Chiusano
Maria Luisa
ML
Department of Genetics, General and Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone, 8, 80134 Naples, Italy. chiusano@unina.it
Di Giaimo
Rossella
R
Potenza
Nicoletta
N
Russo
Giuseppina M R
GM
Geraci
Giuseppe
G
del Gaudio
Rosanna
R
D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C079326:ogre protein, Drosophila