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Targeting of Painting of fourth to roX1 and roX2 proximal sites suggests evolutionary links between dosage compensation and the regulation of the 4th chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT: In Drosophila melanogaster, two chromosome-specific targeting and regulatory systems have been described. The male-specific lethal (MSL) complex supports dosage compensation by stimulating gene expression from the male X-chromosome and the protein Painting of fourth (POF) specifically targets and stimulates expression from the heterochromatic 4th chromosome. The targeting sites of both systems are well characterized, but the principles underlying the targeting mechanisms have remained elusive. Here we present an original observation, namely that POF specifically targets two loci on the X-chromosome, PoX1 and PoX2 (POF-on-X). PoX1 and PoX2 are located close to the roX1 and roX2 genes, which encode ncRNAs important for the correct targeting and spreading of the MSL-complex. We also found that the targeting of POF to PoX1 and PoX2 is largely dependent on roX expression and identified a high-affinity target region which ectopically recruits POF. The results presented support a model linking the MSL-complex to POF and dosage compensation to regulation of heterochromatin.

ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster

PROVIDER: GSE45402 | GEO | 2013/05/27

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA193684

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Drosophila males double transcription of their single X chromosome to equalize X-linked gene expression with females, which carry two X chromosomes. Increased transcription requires the Male-Specific Lethal (MSL) complex. One of the primary functions of the MSL complex is thought to be enrichment of H4Ac16 on the male X chromosome, a modification linked to elevated transcription. The roX1 and roX2 RNAs are essential but redundant components of the MSL complex. Simultaneous removal of both roX RNAs reduces MSL X-localization and leads to ectopic binding of these proteins at autosomal sites and to the chromocenter. Some H4Ac16 accumulates at these ectopic sites in roX1- roX2- males, suggesting the possibility of increased expression. The global effect of roX mutations on gene expression was measured by microarray analysis. We found that expression of the X chromosome was decreased by 26% in roX1- roX2- male larvae, supporting the involvement of roX RNAs in the up-regulation of X-linked genes. This finding is broadly comparable to reports of reduced X chromosome expression following msl2 RNAi knockdown in S2 cells. In spite of strong MSL binding and H4Ac16 accumulation at autosomal sites in roX1- roX2- males, enhanced gene expression could not be detected at these sites by microarray analysis or reverse northern blotting. Thus, failure to compensate X-linked genes, rather than inappropriate up-regulation of autosomal genes at ectopic sites of MSL binding, appears to cause male lethality upon loss of roX RNAs. Experiment Overall Design: Total RNA was prepared from groups of 50 third instar larvae by TRIzol (Invitrogen) extraction and purified using the RNeasy kit (Qiagen). Three independent RNA preparations for each genotype served as templates for probe synthesis. Affymetrix Drosophila Genome 2.0 chips were hybridized to these probes (Santa Clara, CA). The affymertrix Drosophila annotation of December 2004 was used to map genes to their cytological locations. Genes were filtered for present/absent calls by a PM-MM (Perfect match- Mismatch) comparison. Autosomal transcripts were normalized on a chip-by-chip basis to bring their median values to 100. The identical degree of adjustment was used to normalize X-linked transcripts. Changes in gene expression were determined by comparing the mean signal intensities of genes on arrays hybridized with roX1SMC17A roX2- probes to those hybridized with roX1+ roX2- probes.

Project description:Sex chromosome dosage differences between males and females are a significant form of natural genetic variation in many species. Like many species with chromosomal sex determination, Drosophila females have two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y. The model species D. melanogaster has five roughly equally sized chromosome arms, one of which is the X chromosome. However, fusions of sex chromosomes with autosomes have occurred along the lineage leading to D. pseudoobscura and D. miranda. The resulting neo-sex chromosomes are gradually evolving the properties of sex chromosomes, and neo-X chromosomes are becoming targets for the molecular mechanisms that compensate for differences in X chromosome dose between sexes. We have previously shown that D. melanogaster possess at least two dosage compensation mechanisms: the well- characterized MSL-mediated dosage compensation active in most somatic tissues, and another system active during early embryogenesis prior to the onset of MSL-mediated dosage compensation. To better understand the developmental constraints on sex chromosome gene expression and evolution, we sequenced mRNA from individual male and female embryos of D. pseudoobscura and D. miranda, from ~0.5 to 8 hours of development. Autosomal expression levels are highly conserved between these species. But, unlike D. melanogaster, we observe a general lack of dosage compensation in D. pseudoobscura and D. miranda prior to the onset of MSL-mediated dosage compensation. The extent of female bias on the X chromosomes decreases through developmental time with the establishment of MSL-mediated dosage compensation, but may do so more slowly in D. miranda than D. pseudoobscura. Thus either there has been a lineage-specific gain or loss in early dosage compensation mechanism(s), or increasing X chromosome dose may strain dosage compensation systems and make them less effective. These results also prompt a number of questions about whether species with more sex-linked genes have more sex-specific phenotypes, and how much transcript level variance is tolerable during critical stages of development.

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Targeting of Painting of fourth to roX1 and roX2 proximal sites suggests evolutionary links between dosage compensation and the regulation of the 4th chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster

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