Promoter contribution to the testis-specific expression of Stellate gene family in Drosophila melanogaster

作者：Olenkina Oxana M; Egorova Ksenia S; Kibanov Mikhail V; Gervaziev Yuri V; Gvozdev Vladimir A^*; Olenina Ludmila V

来源：Gene, 2012, 499(1): 143-153.

DOI：10.1016/j.gene.2012.03.023

• Spermatogenesis
• Promoter
• E-box
• Stellate
• dUSF

Testis-specific tandemly repeated Stellate genes are part of the Ste-Su(Ste) genetic system required for male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. Stellate genes encode a functional homolog of the beta-subunit of protein kinase CK2. Derepression of Stellate results in their over-expression, meiotic disturbances and male sterility. Stellate genes are represented by clustered copies in the X chromosome and carry promoters shared with another X-chromosome cluster, beta NACtes genes, encoding putative beta-subunits of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex. Using Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, we revealed in the Stellate promoter three cis-acting elements, E-boxes, the loss of which greatly diminished the reporter gene expression in Drosophila testes. We identified that these E-boxes were recognized by helix-loop-helix protein, dUSF (Drosophila ortholog of mammalian USF) in testis nuclear extract. All three E-boxes were preserved in the promoters of both euchromatic and heterochromatic Stellate clusters. Two analogous E-boxes were detected in the promoters of 5'-copies of the duplicated beta NACtes gene pairs, whereas the 3'-copies lacked these sites but possessed a new binding site for a testis protein distinct from dUSF. Here we characterized a new type of testis-specific core promoter and identified dUSF as its interacting transcription factor.

• 出版日期2012-5-10