Abstract
dpy-27 is an essential dosage compensation gene that acts to reduce expression of both hermaphrodite X chromosomes. The DPY-27 protein becomes specifically localized to the X chromosomes of wild-type XX embryos, but remains diffusely distributed throughout the nuclei of male (XO) embryos. In xol-1 mutant XO embryos that activate the XX mode of dosage compensation and die from inappropriately low X chromosome transcript levels, DPY-27 becomes localized to X. Therefore, sex specificity of the dosage compensation process is regulated at the step of DPY-27 X chromosome localization. DPY-27 exhibits striking similarity to proteins required for assembly and structural maintenance of Xenopus chromosomes in vitro and for segregation of yeast chromosomes in vivo. These findings suggest a link between global regulation of gene expression and higher order chromosome structure. We propose that DPY-27 implements dosage compensation by condensing the chromatin structure of X in a manner that causes general reduction of X chromosome expression.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
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Carrier Proteins / biosynthesis
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Carrier Proteins / genetics*
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Cell Cycle Proteins*
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Chromatin / ultrastructure
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Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone*
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Chromosome Mapping
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Disorders of Sex Development / genetics
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Dosage Compensation, Genetic*
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Female
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Fluorescent Antibody Technique
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Fungal Proteins / genetics
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Gene Expression Regulation
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In Situ Hybridization
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Larva / genetics
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Male
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis
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Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
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Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
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Protein Binding
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RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
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Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
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Restriction Mapping
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Sex Differentiation / genetics*
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Structural Maintenance of Chromosome Protein 1
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Time Factors
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Tissue Distribution
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Transformation, Genetic
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X Chromosome / physiology*
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Xenopus Proteins*
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Carrier Proteins
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Cell Cycle Proteins
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Chromatin
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Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
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DPY-27 protein, C elegans
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Fungal Proteins
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NCAPH protein, human
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Nuclear Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Recombinant Proteins
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SMC2 protein, S cerevisiae
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SMC2 protein, human
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SMC4 protein, Xenopus
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
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Xenopus Proteins
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Structural Maintenance of Chromosome Protein 1