title: The CLAMP protein links the MSL complex to the X chromosome during Drosophila dosage compensation.
abstract: The Drosophila male-specific lethal (MSL) dosage compensation complex increases transcript levels on the single male X chromosome to equal the transcript levels in XX females. However, it is not known how the MSL complex is linked to its DNA recognition elements, the critical first step in dosage compensation. Here, we demonstrate that a previously uncharacterized zinc finger protein, CLAMP (chromatin-linked adaptor for MSL proteins), functions as the first link between the MSL complex and the X chromosome. CLAMP directly binds to the MSL complex DNA recognition elements and is required for the recruitment of the MSL complex. The discovery of CLAMP identifies a key factor required for the chromosome-specific targeting of dosage compensation, providing new insights into how subnuclear domains of coordinate gene regulation are formed within metazoan genomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Marcela M L
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Soruco
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chery
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siggers
authors.forename: Michael Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tolstorukov
authors.forename: Alexander R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Leydon
authors.forename: Arthur U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Sugden
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vedenko
authors.forename: Martha L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bulyk
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Larschan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011485:Protein Binding; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C583531:CLAMP protein, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins
keywords: Drosophila; chromatin; dosage compensation; zinc finger protein