scholarly journals The role of Polycomb-group response elements in regulation of engrailed transcription in Drosophila

Development ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. DeVido ◽  
D. Kwon ◽  
J. L. Brown ◽  
J. A. Kassis
Keyword(s):  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Group Response

scholarly journals Structure and function of an ectopic Polycomb chromatin domain

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. eaau9739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandip De ◽  
Yuzhong Cheng ◽  
Ming-an Sun ◽  
Natalie D. Gehred ◽  
Judith A. Kassis
Keyword(s):  
Domain Structure ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Chromatin Domain ◽  
Repressive Mark ◽  
Group Response ◽  
Dna Elements ◽  
And Function

Polycomb group proteins (PcGs) drive target gene repression and form large chromatin domains. InDrosophila, DNA elements known as Polycomb group response elements (PREs) recruit PcGs to the DNA. We have shown that, within theinvected-engrailed(inv-en) Polycomb domain, strong, constitutive PREs are dispensable for Polycomb domain structure and function. We suggest that the endogenous chromosomal location imparts stability to this Polycomb domain. To test this possibility, a 79-kbentransgene was inserted into other chromosomal locations. This transgene is functional and forms a Polycomb domain. The spreading of the H3K27me3 repressive mark, characteristic of PcG domains, varies depending on the chromatin context of the transgene. Unlike at the endogenous locus, deletion of the strong, constitutive PREs from the transgene leads to both loss- and gain-of function phenotypes, demonstrating the important role of these regulatory elements. Our data show that chromatin context plays an important role in Polycomb domain structure and function.

scholarly journals Transcription through Intergenic Chromosomal Memory Elements of the Drosophila Bithorax Complex Correlates with an Epigenetic Switch

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 8026-8034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Rank ◽  
Matthias Prestel ◽  
Renato Paro
Keyword(s):  
Memory Function ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Homeotic Genes ◽  
Bithorax Complex ◽  
Memory Element ◽  
Cellular Memory ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Group Response ◽  
Differential Expression Pattern

ABSTRACT The proteins of the trithorax and Polycomb groups maintain the differential expression pattern of homeotic genes established by the early embryonic patterning system during development. These proteins generate stable and heritable chromatin structures by acting via particular chromosomal memory elements. We established a transgenic assay system showing that the Polycomb group response elements bxd and Mcp confer epigenetic inheritance throughout development. With previously published data for the Fab7 cellular memory module, we confirmed the cellular memory function of Polycomb group response elements. In Drosophila melanogaster, several of these memory elements are located in the large intergenic regulatory regions of the homeotic bithorax complex. Using a transgene assay, we showed that transcription through a memory element correlated with the relief of silencing imposed by the Polycomb group proteins and established an epigenetically heritable active chromatin mode. A memory element remodeled by the process of transcription was able to maintain active expression of a reporter gene throughout development. Thus, transcription appears to reset and change epigenetic marks at chromosomal memory elements regulated by the Polycomb and trithorax proteins. Interestingly, in the bithorax complex of D. melanogaster, the segment-specific expression of noncoding intergenic transcripts during embryogenesis seems to fulfill this switching role for memory elements regulating the homeotic genes.

scholarly journals Trithorax- and Polycomb-Group Response Elements within an Ultrabithorax Transcription Maintenance Unit Consist of Closely Situated but Separable Sequences

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 5189-5202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Tillib ◽  
Svetlana Petruk ◽  
Yurii Sedkov ◽  
Alexander Kuzin ◽  
Miki Fujioka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Protein Product ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Complex Element ◽  
Group Response

ABSTRACT In Drosophila, two classes of genes, thetrithorax group and the Polycomb group, are required in concert to maintain gene expression by regulating chromatin structure. We have identified Trithorax protein (TRX) binding elements within the bithorax complex and have found that within thebxd/pbx regulatory region these elements are functionally relevant for normal expression patterns in embryos and confer TRX binding in vivo. TRX was localized to three closely situated sites within a 3-kb chromatin maintenance unit with a modular structure. Results of an in vivo analysis showed that these DNA fragments (each ∼400 bp) contain both TRX- and Polycomb-group response elements (TREs and PREs) and that in the context of the endogenousUltrabithorax gene, all of these elements are essential for proper maintenance of expression in embryos. Dissection of one of these maintenance modules showed that TRX- and Polycomb-group responsiveness is conferred by neighboring but separable DNA sequences, suggesting that independent protein complexes are formed at their respective response elements. Furthermore, we have found that the activity of this TRE requires a sequence (∼90 bp) which maps to within several tens of base pairs from the closest neighboring PRE and that the PRE activity in one of the elements may require a binding site for PHO, the protein product of the Polycomb-group genepleiohomeotic. Our results show that long-range maintenance of Ultrabithorax expression requires a complex element composed of cooperating modules, each capable of interacting with both positive and negative chromatin regulators.

scholarly journals RNAi Components Are Required for Nuclear Clustering of Polycomb Group Response Elements

Cell ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 957-971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Grimaud ◽  
Frédéric Bantignies ◽  
Manika Pal-Bhadra ◽  
Pallavi Ghana ◽  
Utpal Bhadra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Group Response ◽  
Nuclear Clustering

scholarly journals P-Element Homing Is Facilitated by engrailed Polycomb-Group Response Elements in Drosophila melanogaster

PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e30437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuzhong Cheng ◽  
Deborah Y. Kwon ◽  
Allison L. Arai ◽  
Diane Mucci ◽  
Judith A. Kassis
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
P Element ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Group Response

Polycomb Group Repression Is Blocked by the Drosophila suppressor of Hairy-wing [su(Hw)] Insulator

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 331-339
Author(s):  
Daniel R Mallin ◽  
Jane S Myung ◽  
J Scott Patton ◽  
Pamela K Geyer
Keyword(s):  
Reporter Genes ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Polycomb Group Proteins ◽  
Binding Region ◽  
Position Effects ◽  
Response Element ◽  
Polycomb Group Genes ◽  
Chromosomal Position ◽  
Group Response

Abstract The suppressor of Hairy-wing [SU(HW)] binding region disrupts communication between a large number of enhancers and promoters and protects transgenes from chromosomal position effects. These properties classify the SU(HW) binding region as an insulator. While enhancers are blocked in a general manner, protection from repressors appears to be more variable. In these studies, we address whether repression resulting from the Polycomb group genes can be blocked by the SU(HW) binding region. The effects of this binding region on repression established by an Ultrabithorax Polycomb group Response Element were examined. A transposon carrying two reporter genes, the yellow and white genes, was used so that repression and insulation could be assayed simultaneously. We demonstrate that the SU(HW) binding region is effective at preventing Polycomb group repression. These studies suggest that one role of the su(Hw) protein may be to restrict the range of action of repressors, such as the Polycomb group proteins, throughout the euchromatic regions of the genome.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Polycomb Group Response Elements of the Drosophila melanogaster invected Locus

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 820-828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa D. Cunningham ◽  
J. Lesley Brown ◽  
Judith A. Kassis
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Dna Binding Sites ◽  
Group Response ◽  
Dna Elements ◽  
Regulatory Dna

ABSTRACT The Polycomb group proteins (PcGs) play a vital role throughout development by maintaining precise gene expression patterns. In Drosophila melanogaster, PcG-mediated gene silencing is achieved through DNA elements called Polycomb response elements (PREs); however, the mechanism for establishing silencing and the requirements and composition of a working PRE are not fully understood. We have used the computer program jPREdictor to uncover PREs located within the invected (inv) locus. The functionalities of these predicted PREs were tested in two different assays: one analyzing their abilities to maintain expression of a β-galactosidase reporter gene and the other evaluating their abilities to establish pairing-sensitive silencing of the mini-white reporter in the vector pCaSpeR. We have identified two previously uncharacterized PREs at the inv gene and demonstrate that they produce similar results in the two assays. Our results indicate that clusters of protein binding sites do not accurately predict PREs and provide new insight into the DNA sequence requirements for the binding of the PcG protein Pho. Finally, our data show that PREs and regulatory DNA from different genes can function together to establish PcG-mediated silencing, highlighting the versatility of PREs despite discrepancies in the number and location of DNA binding sites.

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