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Scientific article
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English

Conserved domains control heterochromatin localization and silencing properties of SU(VAR)3–7

Contributors

Jaquet, Yannis; Delattre, Marion; Montoya Burgos, Juan Ignacio; Spierer, Anne; Spierer, Pierre

Published in

Chromosoma, vol. 115, no. 2, p. 139-150

Collection

  • Open Access - Licence nationale Springer

Publication date

2006

Abstract

The Drosophila protein SU(VAR)3-7 is essential for fly viability, chromosome structure, and heterochromatin formation. We report that searches in silico and in vitro for homologues of SU(VAR)3-7 were successful within, but not outside, the Drosophila genus. Protein sequence homology between the distant sibling species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila virilis is low, except for the general organization of the protein and three conserved motives: seven widely spaced zinc fingers in the N-terminal half and the BESS and BoxA motives in the C-terminal half of the protein. We have undertaken a fine functional dissection of SU(VAR)3-7 in vivo using transgenes encoding truncations of the protein. BESS mediates interaction of SU(VAR)3-7 with itself, and BoxA is required for specific heterochromatin association. Both are necessary for the silencing properties of SU(VAR)3-7. The seven zinc fingers, widely spaced over the N-terminal half of SU(VAR)3-7, are required for binding to polytene chromosomes. One finger is necessary and sufficient to determine the appropriate chromatin association of the C-terminal half of the protein. Conferring a function to each of the conserved motives allows us to better understand the mode of action of SU(VAR)3-7 in triggering heterochromatin formation and subsequent genomic silencing.

Keywords

  • Position-effect variegation
  • Drosophila-melanogaster
  • Sequence alignment
  • Boundary-element
  • HP1 proteins
  • Gene
  • Modifier
  • Binding
  • Chromosomes
  • Methylation

UNIGE affiliation entities

Citation (ISO format)

JAQUET, Yannis et al. Conserved domains control heterochromatin localization and silencing properties of SU(VAR)3–7. In: Chromosoma, 2006, vol. 115, n° 2, p. 139–150. doi: 10.1007/s00412-005-0036-2

Main files (1)

Article (Published version)

Identifiers

Additional URL for this publication

http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s00412-005-0036-2

Journal ISSN

0009-5915
699views
465downloads

Technical informations

Creation

27/07/2010 10:56:00

First validation

27/07/2010 10:56:00

Update

26/03/2026 10:47:05

Status update

26/03/2026 10:47:05

Last indexation

26/03/2026 10:53:49
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