Mutation in a Heterochromatin-specific Chromosomal Protein is Associated with Suppression of Position-effect Variegation in Drosophila Melanogaster

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 1990 Dec 1

PMID 2124708

Citations 246

Authors

J C Eissenberg

T C James

T Hartnett

V Ngan

S C Elgin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We report here that a point mutation in the gene which encodes the heterochromatin-specific nonhistone chromosomal protein HP-1 in Drosophila melanogaster is associated with dominant suppression of position-effect variegation. The mutation, a G-to-A transition at the first nucleotide of the last intron, causes missplicing of the HP-1 mRNA. This suggests that heterochromatin-specific proteins play a central role in the gene suppression associated with heterochromatic position effects.

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