title: A functionally conserved Polycomb response element from mouse HoxD complex responds to heterochromatin factors.
abstract: Anterior-posterior body axis in all bilaterians is determined by the Hox gene clusters that are activated in a spatio-temporal order. This expression pattern of Hox genes is established and maintained by regulatory mechanisms that involve higher order chromatin structure and Polycomb group (PcG) and trithorax group (trxG) proteins. We identified earlier a Polycomb response element (PRE) in the mouse HoxD complex that is functionally conserved in flies. We analyzed the molecular and genetic interactions of mouse PRE using Drosophila melanogaster and vertebrate cell culture as the model systems. We demonstrate that the repressive activity of this PRE depends on PcG/trxG genes as well as the heterochromatin components. Our findings indicate that a wide range of factors interact with the HoxD PRE that can contribute to establishing the expression pattern of homeotic genes in the complex early during development and maintain that pattern at subsequent stages.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial research, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India.
authors.forename: Dasari
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vasanthi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagabhushan
authors.forename: Navneet Kaur
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Matharu
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression; D023061:Gene Order; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005838:Genotype; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020218:Response Elements; D013696:Temperature; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006570:Heterochromatin; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C063460:Trl protein, Drosophila