Coordinated regulation of heterochromatic genes in Drosophila melanogaster males.

ABSTRACT: Dosage compensation modifies the chromatin of X-linked genes to assure equivalent expression in sexes with unequal X chromosome dosage. In Drosophila dosage compensation is achieved by increasing expression from the male X chromosome. The ribonucleoprotein dosage compensation complex (DCC) binds hundreds of sites along the X chromosome and modifies chromatin to facilitate transcription. Loss of roX RNA, an essential component of the DCC, reduces expression from X-linked genes. Surprisingly, loss of roX RNA also reduces expression from genes situated in proximal heterochromatin and on the small, heterochromatic fourth chromosome. Mutation of some, but not all, of the genes encoding DCC proteins produces a similar effect. Reduction of roX function suppresses position effect variegation (PEV)

SUBMITTER: Deng X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2691757 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature