dMi-2, a hunchback-interacting protein that functions in Polycomb repression

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 282; no. 5395; pp. 1897 - 1900
• Main Authors: Kehle, J. (University of Bath, Bath, UK.), Beuchle, D, Treuheit, S, Christen, B, Kennison, J.A, Bienz, M, Muller, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 04.12.1998; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Alleles; Animals; Autoantigens - chemistry; Autoantigens - genetics; Autoantigens - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - chemistry; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Coding; Complementary DNA; DESARROLLO EMBRIONARIO; DEVELOPPEMENT EMBRYONNAIRE; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; DROSOPHILA; Drosophila - embryology; Drosophila - genetics; Drosophila Proteins; Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism; EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT; Embryos; EXPRESION GENICA; EXPRESSION DES GENES; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GENE; Gene Dosage; GENE EXPRESSION; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; GENES; Genes, Homeobox; Genes, Insect; Genetic Complementation Test; Genetic mutation; Genetic regulation; Genetics; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Germ cells; Germ Cells - metabolism; Heterozygote; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; In Situ Hybridization; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Insects; Invertebrata; Larvae; Literary Devices; Mutation; Physiological aspects; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; PROTEINAS; PROTEINE; PROTEINS; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Repression; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Yeasts; Embryonic development; Insecta; Drosophila; Molecular interaction; Transcription repressor; Repression; Gene expression; Drosophilidae; Binding protein; Regulation(control); Arthropoda; Homeotic gene; Mutation; Invertebrata; Diptera
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.282.5395.1897

Early in Drosophila embryogenesis, gap gene products directly repress transcription of homeotic (HOX) genes and thereby delimit HOX expression domains. Subsequently, Polycomb-group proteins maintain this repression. Currently, there is no known molecular link between gap and Polycomb-group proteins. Here, dMi-2 is identified as a protein that binds to a domain in the gap protein Hunchback that is specifically required for the repression of HOX genes. Genetic analyses show that dMi-2 participates in both Hunchback and Polycomb repression in vivo. Hence, recruitment of dMi-2 may serve as a link between repression of HOX genes by Hunchback and Polycomb proteins