Cytotype regulation by telomeric P elements in Drosophila melanogaster: Evidence for involvement of an RNA interference gene

• Published in: Genetics (Austin) Vol. 176; no. 4; pp. 1945 - 1955
• Main Authors: Simmons, M.J, Ryzek, D.F, Lamour, C, Goodman, J.W, Kummer, N.E, Merriman, P.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Genetics Soc America 01.08.2007; Genetics Society of America; Copyright © 2007 by the Genetics Society of America
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphatases - genetics; Animals; Argonaute Proteins; Chromobox Protein Homolog 5; Chromosomes; cytotypes; DNA Transposable Elements; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila Proteins - genetics; Female; Females; genes; Genes, Insect; Genetics; Germ-Line Mutation; Heterozygote; Investigations; Male; Mutation; Nuclear Proteins - genetics; Peptide Initiation Factors - genetics; Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - genetics; retrotransposons; RNA Interference; RNA-Induced Silencing Complex; Telomere - genetics; telomeres; X chromosome
• ISSN: 0016-6731; 1943-2631; 1943-2631
• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.106.066746

P elements inserted at the left telomere of the X chromosome evoke the P cytotype, a maternally inherited condition that regulates the P-element family in the Drosophila germline. This regulation is completely disrupted in stocks heterozygous for mutations in aubergine, a gene whose protein product is involved in RNA interference. However, cytotype is not disrupted in stocks heterozygous for mutations in two other RNAi genes, piwi and homeless (spindle-E), or in a stock heterozygous for a mutation in the chromatin protein gene Enhancer of zeste. aubergine mutations exert their effects in the female germline, where the P cytotype is normally established and through which it is maintained. These effects are transmitted maternally to offspring of both sexes independently of the mutations themselves. Lines derived from mutant aubergine stocks reestablish the P cytotype quickly, unlike lines derived from stocks heterozygous for a mutation in Suppressor of variegation 205, the gene that encodes the telomere-capping protein HP1. Cytotype regulation by telomeric P elements may be tied to a system that uses RNAi to regulate the activities of telomeric retrotransposons in Drosophila.