P cytotype in Drosophila melanogaster: a maternally transmitted regulatory state of the germ line associated with telomeric P elements

The incomplete P elements TP5 and TP6 are inserted in the TAS repeats near the left telomere of the Drosophila melanogaster X chromosome. These telomeric P elements repress P-induced gonadal dysgenesis and germ-line hypermutability in both sexes. However, their capacity to repress hypermutability is...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Genetics (Austin) 2004, Vol.166 (1), p.243-254
Main Authors:	Simmons, M.J, Raymond, J.D, Niemi, J.B, Stuart, J.R, Merriman, P.J
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Alleles Animals Bacteria Chromosomes Crosses, Genetic DNA Transposable Elements - genetics Drosophila Drosophila melanogaster Drosophila melanogaster - genetics Female Genetics Germ Cells Gonadal Dysgenesis - genetics Insects Male Phenotype Sexes Telomere - genetics Transposases - genetics X Chromosome - genetics
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Summary:	The incomplete P elements TP5 and TP6 are inserted in the TAS repeats near the left telomere of the Drosophila melanogaster X chromosome. These telomeric P elements repress P-induced gonadal dysgenesis and germ-line hypermutability in both sexes. However, their capacity to repress hypermutability is lost when they are transmitted patroclinously in a cross. TP5 and TP6 do not repress P-element activity in somatic cells, nor do they alter the somatic or germ-line phenotypes of P-insertion alleles. In the germ line, these elements suppress the phenotype of a P-insertion allele of the singed gene that is evoked by other P elements, presumably because these other elements encode repressor polypeptides. This suppression is more effective when the telomeric P elements are inherited maternally. Regulation by telomeric P elements parallels that of the P cytotype, a state that represses P-element activity in some strains of Drosophila. This state exists only in the germ line and is maternally transmitted along with the P elements themselves. Regulation by known repressor P polypeptides is not restricted to the germ line and does not require maternal transmission of the relevant P elements. Regulation by telomeric P elements appears to be epistatic to regulation by repressor P polypeptides.
ISSN:	0016-6731 1943-2631 1943-2631