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PMID: 7854314 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Genetic interactions and dosage effects of Polycomb group genes of Drosophila.

Molecular & general genetics : MGG ·Vol. 246 ·No. 3 ·1995-02-06 ·Pages 291-300

Campbell RB, Sinclair DA, Couling M, Brock HW

Abstract

The Polycomb (Pc) group of genes are required for maintenance of cell determination in Drosophila melanogaster. At least 11 Pc group genes have been described and there may be up to 40; all are required for normal regulation of homeotic genes, but as a group, their phenotypes are rather diverse. It has been suggested that the products of Pc group genes might be members of a heteromeric complex that acts to regulate the chromatin structure of target loci. We examined the phenotypes of adult flies heterozygous for every pairwise combination of Pc group genes in an attempt to subdivide the Pc group functionally. The results support the idea that Additional sex combs (Asx), Pc, Polycomblike (Pcl), Posterior sex combs (Psc), Sex combs on midleg (Scm), and Sex combs extra (Sce) have similar functions in some imaginal tissues. We show genetic interactions among extra sex combs (esc) and Asx, Enhancer of Pc, Pcl, Enhancer of zeste E(z), and super sex combs and reassess the idea that most Pc group genes function independently of esc. Most duplications of Pc group genes neither exhibit anterior transformations nor suppress the extra sex comb phenotype of Pc group mutations, suggesting that not all Pc group genes behave as predicted by the mass-action model. Surprisingly, duplications of E(z) enhance homeotic phenotypes of esc mutants. Flies with increasing doses of esc+ exhibit anterior transformations, but these are not enhanced by mutations in trithorax group genes. The results are discussed with respect to current models of Pc group function.

MeSH Terms
Alleles Animals Crosses, Genetic Drosophila Proteins Drosophila melanogaster/embryology,genetics,growth & development Female Gene Dosage Genes, Insect/physiology Genes, Lethal Genes, Regulator/physiology Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase Male Mutation/genetics Phenotype Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Proteins/genetics Suppression, Genetic
Chemicals
Drosophila Proteins Pc protein, Drosophila Proteins Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 esc protein, Drosophila Polycomb Repressive Complex 1
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Campbell R B
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Sinclair D A
Couling M
Brock H W
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Article Info
Journal
Molecular & general genetics : MGG
Abbr.
Mol Gen Genet
ISSN
0026-8925
DOI
10.1007/BF00288601
Published
1995-02-06
Pages
291-300
Language
English
Region
Germany
NLM ID
0125036
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF00288601
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