title: Mutations in the transcription elongation factor SPT5 disrupt a reporter for dosage compensation in Drosophila.
abstract: In Drosophila, the MSL (Male Specific Lethal) complex up regulates transcription of active genes on the single male X-chromosome to equalize gene expression between sexes. One model argues that the MSL complex acts upon the elongation step of transcription rather than initiation. In an unbiased forward genetic screen for new factors required for dosage compensation, we found that mutations in the universally conserved transcription elongation factor Spt5 lower MSL complex dependent expression from the miniwhite reporter gene in vivo. We show that SPT5 interacts directly with MSL1 in vitro and is required downstream of MSL complex recruitment, providing the first mechanistic data corroborating the elongation model of dosage compensation.
authors.affiliation: Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mahalakshmi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D050172:Genes, X-Linked; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors; C082132:msl-1 protein, Drosophila; C069940:SPT5 transcriptional elongation factor