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DNA representation of variegating heterochromatic P-element inserts in diploid and polytene tissues ofDrosophila melanogaster

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Abstract

Position-effect variegation (PEV) is the mosaic expression of a euchromatic gene brought into juxtaposition with heterochromatin. Fourteen different transformedDrosophila melanogaster lines with variegating P-element inserts were used to examine the DNA levels of these transgenes. Insert sites include pericentric, telomeric and fourth chromosome regions. Southern blot analyses showed that the heterochromatichsp26 transgenes are underrepresented 1.3- to 33-fold in polytene tissue relative to the endogenous euchromatichsp26 gene. In contrast, the heterochromatichsp26 transgenes are present in approximately the same copy number as the endogenous euchromatichsp26 gene in diploid tissue. It appears unlikely that DNA loss could account for the lack of gene expression in diploid tissues seen with these examples of PEV.

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  1. Lisa E. Rosman

    Present address: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Chicago, 60637, IL, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Washington University, 63130, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Lori L. Wallrath, Vamsi P. Guntur, Lisa E. Rosman & Sarah C. R. Elgin

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  1. Lori L. Wallrath
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  2. Vamsi P. Guntur
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  3. Lisa E. Rosman
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  4. Sarah C. R. Elgin
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Wallrath, L.L., Guntur, V.P., Rosman, L.E. et al. DNA representation of variegating heterochromatic P-element inserts in diploid and polytene tissues ofDrosophila melanogaster . Chromosoma 104, 519–527 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00352116

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00352116

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