Transposase titration in Drosophila melanogaster: a model of cytotype in the P-M system of hybrid dysgenesis

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 82; no. 23; pp. 8119 - 8123
• Main Authors: Simmons, M.J, Bucholz, L.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01.12.1985; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cantons; Chromosomes; cytogenetics; DNA Transposable Elements; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Genetic mutation; Genetic transposition; Genic rearrangement. Recombination. Transposable element; Hybridity; Hybridization, Genetic; Mating behavior; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; mutagenicity; Nucleotidyltransferases - metabolism; Sex chromosomes; Titration; Transposases; Transposons; X chromosome; X Chromosome - physiology; Enzyme; Insecta; Transposon; Mechanism; Assay; Transposition; Hybrid dysgenesis; Regulation(control); Arthropoda; Animal; Models; Invertebrata; Drosophila melanogaster
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.82.23.8119

In the P--M system of hybrid dysgenesis of Drosophila melanogaster, some M strains possess chromosomal P elements. The chromosomes from one of these pseudo-M strains reduced the instability of a P element-insertion mutation of the singed bristle locus. We suggest that this reduction is an indication of competition for a transposase that binds to the P elements on the chromosomes from the pseudo-M strain as well as to the P elements at the singed locus; the pseudo-M strain's P elements might therefore be said to titrate the transposase, reducing its availability to interact with the P elements at the singed locus. We hypothesize that a similar mechanism regulates the movement of P elements in the P strains of D. melanogaster, although in this case we propose that the titrating elements are extrachromosomal and that they are generated by the action of the transposase itself.