title: X-linkage is not a general inhibitor of tissue-specific gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: As a consequence of its difference in copy number between males and females, the X chromosome is subject to unique evolutionary forces and gene regulatory mechanisms. Previous studies of Drosophila melanogaster have shown that the expression of X-linked, testis-specific reporter genes is suppressed in the male germline. However, it is not known whether this phenomenon is restricted to testis-expressed genes or if it is a more general property of genes with tissue-specific expression, which are also underrepresented on the X chromosome. To test this, we compared the expression of three tissue-specific reporter genes (ovary, accessory gland and Malpighian tubule) inserted at various autosomal and X-chromosomal locations. In contrast to testis-specific reporter genes, we found no reduction of X-linked expression in any of the other tissues. In accessory gland and Malpighian tubule, we detected higher expression of the X-linked reporter genes, which suggests that they are at least partially dosage compensated. We found no difference in the tissue-specificity of X-linked and autosomal reporter genes. These findings indicate that, in general, the X chromosome is not a detrimental environment for tissue-specific gene expression and that the suppression of X-linked expression is limited to the male germline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Argyridou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Huylmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Königer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D050172:Genes, X-Linked; D008297:Male; D008317:Malpighian Tubules; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D010053:Ovary; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*