The Drosophila G9a gene encodes a multi-catalytic histone methyltransferase required for normal development.
Mammalian G9a is a histone H3 Lys-9 (H3-K9) methyltransferase localized in euchromatin and acts as a co-regulator for specific transcription factors. G9a is required for proper development in mammals as g9a-/g9a- mice show growth retardation and early lethality. Here we describe the cloning, the biochemical and genetical analyses of the Drosophila homolog dG9a. We show that dG9a shares the structural organization of mammalian G9a, and that it is a multi-catalytic histone methyltransferase with specificity not only for lysines 9 and 27 on H3 but also for H4. Surprisingly, it is not the H4-K20 residue that is the target for this methylation. Spatiotemporal expression analyses reveal that dG9a is abundantly expressed in the gonads of both sexes, with no detectable expression in gonadectomized adults. In addition we find a low but clearly observable level of dG9a transcript in developing embryos, larvae and pupae. Genetic and RNAi experiments reveal that dG9a is involved in ecdysone regulatory pathways.
Stabell
Marianne
M
Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1041, Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway.
Eskeland
Ragnhild
R
Bjørkmo
Mona
M
Larsson
Jan
J
Aalen
Reidunn B
RB
Imhof
Axel
A
Lambertsson
Andrew
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D022041:Euchromatin / Q000201:enzymology; D015870:Gene Expression; D017344:Genes, Insect; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D022041:Euchromatin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase