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Polycomb-group proteins are involved in silencing processes caused by a transgenic element from the murine imprinted H19/Igf2 region in Drosophila

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Abstract

A subset of autosomal genes undergo genomic imprinting which results in expression from only the paternal or maternal chromosome. While this phenomenon is restricted to mammals and angiosperms, the underlying silencing mechanisms appear to be evolutionarily conserved. A biallelically unmethylated DNaseI hypersensitive region (A6-A4) between the imprinted Igf2 and H19 genes is conserved in humans and mice and functions as a tissue-specific maintenance element for the imprinted growth factor IGF2. In order to analyse A6-A4 for potentially conserved transcriptional maintenance properties, we have generated transgenic Drosophila harbouring the element in a reporter construct. These flies depicted silencing of the reporter genes lacZ and mini-white. The silenced state of the mini-white gene showed variegation and sensitivity to temperature changes. In addition, two members of the conserved Polycomb group, Enhancer of zeste and Posterior sex combs, were needed for repression. Polycomb group proteins are essential for gene silencing during development. Our results indicate that Polycomb group proteins may also be involved in the regulation of mammalian imprinted genes.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Gunter Reuter and Ting Wu for fly strains and Kat Arney and Patrick Western for critical comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by the Fond der Chemischen Industrie to R.P. The work of M.A.S and J.F.X.A. was supported by a Grant from the Wellcome Trust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ZMBH, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Sylvia Erhardt, Frank Lyko & Renato Paro

  2. Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research Institute UK, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge , CB2 1QR, UK

    Sylvia Erhardt, Justin F-X. Ainscough & M. Azim Surani

  3. Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Worsley Building, Leeds University, Clarendon Way, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Justin F-X. Ainscough

  4. Research Group Epigenetics, DKFZ, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Frank Lyko

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  1. Sylvia Erhardt
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  2. Frank Lyko
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  3. Justin F-X. Ainscough
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  4. M. Azim Surani
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  5. Renato Paro
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Correspondence to Renato Paro.

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Edited by M. Akam

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Erhardt, S., Lyko, F., Ainscough, J.FX. et al. Polycomb-group proteins are involved in silencing processes caused by a transgenic element from the murine imprinted H19/Igf2 region in Drosophila . Dev Genes Evol 213, 336–344 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-003-0331-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-003-0331-y

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