DOMAIN REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION IN THE INTERCALARY HETEROCHROMATIN OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER
D.A. Maksimov, P.P.Laktionov, S.N. Belyakin
Institute of molecular and cellular biology SD RAS, Novosibirsk;
e-mail: belyakin@mcb.nsc.ru
A significant part of Drosophila genome is repressed in most cells. These areas, called intercalary heterochromatin regions, contain a significant amount of genes.
Most of these genes work in well-defined cell types, that is, are tissue-specific. The most numerous class of genes in the intercalary heterochromatin are testis-specific genes.
These genes are activated only in maturing spermatocytes and their coordinated activation is necessary for the normal spermatogenesis. Our work aims to study the mechanism
of activation of testis-specific genes. We found that Comr, one of the factors required for their transcription is associated with extensive regions of chromosomes, which are often
coextensive with the repressed parts of the salivary glands chromosomes. However, Comr binding to the large chromatin domains leads to the selective activation of testis-specific
genes only. Our results suggest that at the initial stages of the testis-specific genes activation involves the entire domains of intercalary heterochromatin.
Key words: Drosophila chromatin, gene regulation
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