Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 102, Issue 23, Pages 8269-8274Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0502702102
Keywords
DNA replication; polytene chromosomes; suppressor of underreplication; transcriptional silencing
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In Drosophila polytene chromosomes, most late-replicating regions remain underreplicated. A loss-of-function mutant of the suppressor of underreplication [Su(UR)] gene suppresses underreplication (UR), whereas extra copies of this gene enhance the level and number of regions showing UR. By combining DNA microarray analysis with manipulation of the number of Su(UR) gene copies, we achieved genomic-scale molecular identification of 1,036 genes that are arranged in clusters located in 52 UR chromosomal regions. These regions overlap extensively (96%) but are not completely identical with late-replicating regions of mitotically dividing Kc cells in culture. Reanalysis of published gene expression profiles revealed that genomic regions defined by replication properties include clusters of coordinately expressed genes. Genomic regions that are UR in polytene chromosomes and late replicated in Kc cell chromosomes show a particularly common association with transcriptional territories that are expressed in testis/males but not ovary/females or embryos. An attractive hypothesis for future testing is that factors involved in replication control, such as SU(UR), may interact physically with those involved in epigenetic silencing of transcription territories.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available