The <i>Drosophila</i> maternal-effect gene <i>abnormal oocyte</i> (<i>ao</i>) does not repress histone gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The abnormal oocyte (ao) gene of Drosophila melanogaster is a maternal-effect lethal gene previously identified as encoding a transcriptional regulator of core histones. However, background genetic mutations in existing ao mutant strains could compromise their utility in manipulating histone levels. To distinguish the true ao phenotype from background effects, we created two new ao reagents: a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the ao allele for genetic and molecular analyses and an epitope-tagged ao allele for cytological experiments. Using these reagents, we confirm previous findings that ao exhibits maternal-effect lethality, which can be rescued by either a decrease in the histone gene copy number or by Y chromosome heterochr

SUBMITTER: Takenaka R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11429765 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature