Regulation of transcription of meiotic cell cycle and terminal differentiation genes by the testis-specific Zn-finger protein matotopetli
2004
A robust developmentally regulated and cell type specific transcriptional
programme is activated in primary spermatocytes in preparation for
differentiation of the male gametes during spermatogenesis. Work in
Drosophila is beginning to reveal the genetic networks that regulate
this gene expression. The Drosophila aly -class meiotic arrest loci
are essential for activation of transcription of many differentiation-specific
genes, as well as several genes important for meiotic cell cycle progression,
thus linking meiotic cell cycle progression to cellular differentiation during
spermatogenesis. The three previously described aly -class proteins
( aly , comr and achi / vis ) form a complex
and are associated with chromatin in primary spermatocytes. We identify, clone
and characterize a new aly -class meiotic arrest gene,
matotopetli ( topi ), which encodes a testis-specific
Zn-finger protein that physically interacts with Comr. The topi
mutant phenotype is most like achi/vis in that topi function
is not required for the nuclear localization of Aly or Comr, but is required
for their accumulation on chromatin. Most target genes in the transcriptional
programme depend on both topi and achi/vis ; however, a small
subset of target genes are differentially sensitive to loss of topi
or achi/vis , suggesting that these aly- class predicted DNA
binding proteins can act independently in some contexts.
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