DNA underreplication in intercalary heterochromatin regions in polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster correlates with the formation of partial chromosomal aberrations and ectopic pairing

Chromosoma. 2006 Oct;115(5):355-66. doi: 10.1007/s00412-006-0063-7. Epub 2006 Apr 1.

Abstract

We studied the influence of the Suppressor of Underreplication (SuUR) gene expression on the intercalary heterochromatin (IH) regions of Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes. We observed a strong positive correlation between increased SuUR expression, underreplication extent, amount of DNA truncation, and formation of ectopic contacts in IH regions. SuUR overexpression from heat shock-driven transgene results in the formation of partial chromosomal aberrations whose breakpoints map exclusively to the regions of intercalary and pericentric heterochromatin. It is important to note that all these effects are seen only if SuUR overexpression is induced during early stages of chromosome polytenization. Therefore, we developed the idea that ectopic pairing results from the joining of free DNA ends, which are formed as a consequence of underreplication.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosome Aberrations
  • Chromosome Pairing
  • Chromosomes / genetics
  • Chromosomes / metabolism
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA Replication*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Insect
  • Heat-Shock Response
  • Heterochromatin / genetics*
  • Heterochromatin / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Models, Genetic
  • X Chromosome / genetics

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Heterochromatin
  • SuUR protein, Drosophila