Male chromosome loss(3)Z2566 is required for paternal chromosome transmission in Drosophila melanogaster
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Andrea Maria Binder (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- John Tomkiel Dean
Abstract: Chromatin remodeling is one of the most intriguing features of spermiogenesis, during which nuclei undergo drastic morphological changes leading to extensive nuclear compaction. It is essential for sperm function and proper behavior of paternal chromosomes in the zygote. In a highly coordinated manner, paternal histones are replaced with protamine-like proteins leading to a high degree of nuclear condensation. Key players of chromatin remodeling in Drosophila include histones, histone variants, transition protein-like proteins and protamine-like proteins. In addition, several paternal-effect genes required for paternal chromosome transmission in the early embryo may also play a role in sperm chromatin remodeling. Here, we characterize a new male-specific mutation in the fruit fly, mcl(3)Z2566 that causes fourth and sex chromosome loss. Previous experiments pointed to CG5538 as the candidate gene. To verify that mcl(3)Z2566 corresponds to GC5538, we showed that a transgene expressing EGFP-labeled wildtype CG5538 rescued the mutant. We also inhibited CG5538 expression with siRNA and generated a missense mutation in CG5538, both which recapitulated the chromosome loss phenotype. We found that CG553-EGFP was nuclear localized and expressed at the canoe stage of spermiogenesis. We conclude that CG5538 is a novel paternal-effect gene that functions during the histone-to-protamine transition and is important for chromosome behavior subsequent to fertilization.
Male chromosome loss(3)Z2566 is required for paternal chromosome transmission in Drosophila melanogaster
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Created on 12/1/2015
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2015
- Keywords
- Chromatin, Loss, MCL(3)Z2566, Mutation, Paternal, Remodeling
- Subjects
- Drosophila melanogaster $x Genetics