title: DNA supercoiling factor contributes to dosage compensation in Drosophila.
abstract: DNA supercoiling factor (SCF) is a protein capable of generating negative supercoils in DNA in conjunction with topoisomerase II. To clarify the biological functions of SCF, we introduced a heritable SCF RNAi into Drosophila. Upon knockdown of SCF, we observed male lethality and male-specific reduction in the expression levels of X-linked genes. SCF functionally interacts with components of the MSL complex, which are required for dosage compensation via hypertranscription of the male X chromosome. Moreover, SCF colocalizes with the MSL complex along the male X chromosome. Upon overexpression of SCF, the male X chromosome had a bloated appearance. This phenotype was dependent on the histone acetyltransferase MOF and was suppressed by simultaneous overexpression of ISWI. These findings demonstrate that SCF plays a role in transcriptional activation via alteration of chromatin structure and provide evidence that SCF contributes to dosage compensation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka-ken 411-8540, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Mikage
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirose
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D050172:Genes, X-Linked / Q000235:genetics*; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D017931:DNA Primers; C115373:DNA supercoiling factor, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C086468:ISWI protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; C111063:mof protein, Drosophila; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases