Abstract
Polycomb group (PcG) and trithorax group (trxG) gene products are responsible for the maintenance of repressed and active expression patterns of many developmentally important regulatory genes including the homeotic genes. In Drosophila embryos, Polycomb protein and the trxG protein GAGA factor colocalize at the Fab-7 DNA element of the bithorax complex. In transgenic lines, the Fab-7 element induces extensive silencing on a flanking GAL4-driven lacZ reporter and mini-white genes. However, a short single pulse of GAL4 during embryogenesis is sufficient to release PcG-dependent silencing from the transgene. Such an activated state of Fab-7 is mitotically inheritable through development and can be transmitted in a GAL4-independent manner to the subsequent generations through female meiosis. Thus, Fab-7 is a switchable chromosomal element, which can convey memory of epigenetically determined active and repressed chromatin states.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters*
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Chromatin / genetics
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Crosses, Genetic
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DNA / metabolism
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila / embryology
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Drosophila / genetics*
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Eye Color / genetics
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Eye Proteins / genetics
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Female
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Fungal Proteins / genetics
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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Insect Proteins / genetics
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Insect Proteins / metabolism
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Larva
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Meiosis / genetics*
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Mitosis / genetics*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nuclear Proteins*
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Polycomb Repressive Complex 1
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics*
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Repressor Proteins / metabolism
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
Substances
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ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
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Abd-B proteins, Drosophila
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Chromatin
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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Eye Proteins
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Fungal Proteins
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GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Insect Proteins
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Nuclear Proteins
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Pc protein, Drosophila
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Repressor Proteins
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
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Transcription Factors
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Trl protein, Drosophila
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w protein, Drosophila
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abd-A protein, Drosophila
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DNA
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Polycomb Repressive Complex 1