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Title

Conserved domains control heterochromatin localization and silencing properties of SU(VAR)3–7
Authors
Jaquet, Yannis
Delattre, Marion
Montoya Burgos, Juan Ignacio
Spierer, Anne
Spierer, Pierre
Published in Chromosoma. 2006, vol. 115, no. 2, p. 139 - 150
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
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Article (Published version) (854 Kb) - document accessible for UNIGE members only Limited access to UNIGE
Other version: http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s00412-005-0036-2
Structures
Faculté des sciences / Section de biologie / Département de génétique et évolution
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(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. https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:9876

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Deposited on : 2010-08-06

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