Heterochromatin-based silencing of a foreign tandem repeat in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> shows unusual biochemistry and temperature sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: Eukaryotic genomes are packaged into chromatin, a regulatory nucleoprotein assembly. Establishment, maintenance, and interconversion of chromatin states is required for correct patterns of gene expression, genome integrity, and survival. Transcriptionally repressive heterochromatin minimizes mobilization of transposable elements and limits expansion of other repetitive DNA, but mechanisms for recognition of the latter sequences are not well established. We previously demonstrated in Drosophila melanogaster that transcripts derived from 1360 and Invader4 transposon insertions can trigger local conversion of transcriptionally permissive euchromatin to heterochromatin through the piRNA system, but only in a subset of genomic locations near existing blocks of heterochromat

SUBMITTER: Gu T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12324534 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature