title: Sequence signatures involved in targeting the Male-Specific Lethal complex to X-chromosomal genes in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Drosophila melanogaster, the dosage-compensation system that equalizes X-linked gene expression between males and females, thereby assuring that an appropriate balance is maintained between the expression of genes on the X chromosome(s) and the autosomes, is at least partially mediated by the Male-Specific Lethal (MSL) complex. This complex binds to genes with a preference for exons on the male X chromosome with a 3' bias, and it targets most expressed genes on the X chromosome. However, a number of genes are expressed but not targeted by the complex. High affinity sites seem to be responsible for initial recruitment of the complex to the X chromosome, but the targeting to and within individual genes is poorly understood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have extensively examined X chromosome sequence variation within five types of gene features (promoters, 5' UTRs, coding sequences, introns, 3' UTRs) and intergenic sequences, and assessed its potential involvement in dosage compensation. Presented results show that: the X chromosome has a distinct sequence composition within its gene features; some of the detected variation correlates with genes targeted by the MSL-complex; the insulator protein BEAF-32 preferentially binds upstream of MSL-bound genes; BEAF-32 and MOF co-localizes in promoters; and that bound genes have a distinct sequence composition that shows a 3' bias within coding sequence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although, many strongly bound genes are close to a high affinity site neither our promoter motif nor our coding sequence signatures show any correlation to HAS. Based on the results presented here, we believe that there are sequences in the promoters and coding sequences of targeted genes that have the potential to direct the secondary spreading of the MSL-complex to nearby genes.
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Philge
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stenberg
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D021381:Protein Transport; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; C452919:BEAF-32 protein, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; C111063:mof protein, Drosophila