The Y chromosomal lampbrush loops of Drosophila

Epigenetic mechanisms of particulate matter exposure: air pollution and hazards on human health

Environmental pollution nowadays has not only a direct correlation with human health changes but a direct social impact. Epidemiological studies have evidenced the increased damage to human health on a daily basis because of damage to the ecological niche. Rapid urban growth and industrialized societies importantly compromise air quality, which can be assessed by a notable accumulation of air pollutants in both the gas and the particle phases. Of them, particulate matter (PM) represents a highly complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds of the most variable size, composition, and origin. PM being one of the most complex environmental pollutants, its accumulation also varies in a temporal and spatial manner, which challenges current analytical techniques used to investigate PM interactions. Nevertheless, the characterization of the chemical composition of PM is a reliable indicator of the composition of the atmosphere, the quality of breathed air in urbanized societies, industrial zones and consequently gives support for pertinent measures to avoid serious health damage. Epigenomic damage is one of the most promising biological mechanisms of air pollution-derived carcinogenesis. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the implication of PM exposure in diverse molecular mechanisms driving human diseases by altered epigenetic regulation. The presented findings in the context of pan-organic cancer, fibrosis, neurodegeneration and metabolic diseases may provide valuable insights into the toxicity effects of PM components at the epigenomic level and may serve as biomarkers of early detection for novel targeted therapies.

Activity and inactivity of moth sex chromosomes in somatic and meiotic cells

Moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) are the most species-rich group of animals with female heterogamety, females mostly having a WZ, males a ZZ sex chromosome constitution. We studied chromatin conformation, activity, and inactivity of the sex chromosomes in the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella and the silkworm Bombyx mori, using immunostaining with anti-H3K9me2/3, anti-RNA polymerase II, and fluoro-uridine (FU) labelling of nascent transcripts, with conventional widefield fluorescence microscopy and 'spatial structured illumination microscopy' (3D-SIM). The Z chromosome is euchromatic in somatic cells and throughout meiosis. It is transcriptionally active in somatic cells and in the postpachaytene stage of meiosis. The W chromosome in contrast is heterochromatic in somatic cells as well as in meiotic cells at pachytene, but euchromatic and transcriptionally active like all other chromosomes at postpachytene. As the W chromosomes are apparently devoid of protein-coding genes, their transcripts must be non-coding. We found no indication of 'meiotic sex chromosome inactivation' (MSCI) in the two species.

Histone modifications in the male germ line of Drosophila

BACKGROUND

In the male germ line of Drosophila chromatin remains decondensed and highly transcribed during meiotic prophase until it is rapidly compacted. A large proportion of the cell cycle-regulated histone H3.1 is replaced by H3.3, a histone variant encoded outside the histone repeat cluster and not subject to cell cycle controlled expression.

RESULTS

We investigated histone modification patterns in testes of D. melanogaster and D. hydei. In somatic cells of the testis envelope and in germ cells these modification patterns differ from those typically seen in eu- and heterochromatin of other somatic cells. During the meiotic prophase some modifications expected in active chromatin are not found or are found at low level. The absence of H4K16ac suggests that dosage compensation does not take place. Certain histone modifications correspond to either the cell cycle-regulated histone H3.1 or to the testis-specific variant H3.3. In spermatogonia we found H3K9 methylation in cytoplasmic histones, most likely corresponding to the H3.3 histone variant. Most histone modifications persist throughout the meiotic divisions. The majority of modifications persist until the early spermatid nuclei, and only a minority further persist until the final chromatin compaction stages before individualization of the spermatozoa.

CONCLUSION

Histone modification patterns in the male germ line differ from expected patterns. They are consistent with an absence of dosage compensation of the X chromosome during the male meiotic prophase. The cell cycle-regulated histone variant H3.1 and H3.3, expressed throughout the cell cycle, also vary in their modification patterns. Postmeiotically, we observed a highly complex pattern of the histone modifications until late spermatid nuclear elongation stages. This may be in part due to postmeiotic transcription and in part to differential histone replacement during chromatin condensation.

Relationship of nucleolus-associated bodies with the nucleolar organizer tracks in plant interphase nuclei (Pisum sativum)

Nucleolus-associated bodies (NABs) have long been noted in interphase nuclei of a wide variety of plant species. We have recently shown that these bodies consist largely of snRNPs and that they are located on the nucleolar surface in the immediate vicinity of the nucleolar organizer tracks. The present study revealed that, following exposure of roots to KCN, an agent that induces nucleolar segregation, NABs were intimately associated with intranucleolar chromatin. Although immunocytochemical tests with anti-DNA indicated that NABs contained no demonstrable amounts of DNA, our observations nevertheless add further support to the notion that these bodies are somehow related to the nucleolar chromosomes.

Transcription of repetitive DNA sequences in the lampbrush loop pair Nooses formed by sterile alleles of fertility gene Q on the Y chromosome of Drosophila hydei

The Y chromosomal lampbrush loop-forming male fertility genes of Drosophila consist mainly of repetitive DNA sequences that do not code for proteins. We investigated whether differences in the transcription of these sequences can be detected in male-sterile alleles of male fertility gene Q, which forms the loop pair Nooses. The loop consists, for approximately two-thirds, of repeats of the Y-specific ay1 family of repetitive DNA sequences. Of the remaining one-third, at least one-half is represented by defective retrotransposons of the gypsy family. Both sequence types are interspersed throughout the loop. Using both ay1 and gypsy sequences as probes for transcript in situ hybridization, we show that, at the level of the light microscope, transcription of neither sequence is detectably affected in the loops formed by a male-sterile allele of gene Q. We conclude that the transcription of ay1 and gypsy is required, but not sufficient for the function of gene Q.

Partial reconstruction of the lampbrush loop pair Nooses on the Y chromosome of Drosophila hydei

We present the analysis of genomic DNA fragments that were isolated as potential segments of the lampbrush loop pair Nooses on the short arm of the Y chromosome of Drosophila hydei. More than 300 kb of DNA were recovered in BamHI lambda and cosmid clone groups. This DNA is composed of the Y-specific ay1 family of repetitive DNA sequences, and of other repetitive DNA sequences, which at least in part are also located elsewhere in the genome (Y-associated sequences). Two additional classes of DNA fragments were obtained from an EcoRI library. One of them consists of ay1 repeats without apparent interspersion, including a total of more than 300 kb of DNA. The other is composed of tandemly repeated YsI sequences, a Y-specific sequence derived from ay1. This class includes more than 400 kb of DNA, which is also not interspersed by other sequences. Our results show that only the ay1 repeats interspersed by Y-associated DNA sequences can represent parts of the 260 kb transcription unit forming the lampbrush loop, whereas the ay1 and YsI repeats without interspersion form separate and nontranscribed clusters of repetitive DNA.

Sex chromosomes, recombination, and chromatin conformation

We review what is known about the transcriptional inactivation and condensation of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in contrast to the activation of homomorphic sex chromosomes during meiotic prephase in animals. We relate these cytological and transcriptional features to the recombination status of the sex chromosomes. We propose that sex chromosome condensation is a meiotic adaptation to prevent the initiation of potentially damaging recombination events in nonhomologous regions of the X and Y chromosome.

Drosophila spermatogenesis as a model system

Spermatogenesis is very similar throughout the animal kingdom and is probably based on very old evolutionarily principles. Drosophila can serve as a suitable model system to understand the underlying processes. The molecular and ultrastructural data obtained for Drosophila germ cell development can be applied to understanding spermatogenesis in other organisms, including humans. Various methods used in studies of Drosophila spermatogenesis are presented together with observations which exemplify this conclusion.

Genetic and cytogenetic analysis of the "Th-Ps" region of the Y chromosome of Drosophila hydei: evidence for dual functions of the lampbrush loop-forming fertility genes?

Two competing hypotheses have been proposed for the function of the Y chromosomal fertility factors in Drosophila, which form giant lampbrush loops during the primary spermatocyte stage. The first hypothesis suggests a conventional coding function, the second proposes an unconventional gene function mediated through protein binding by nascent transcripts. Therefore, we studied the genetics and cytogenetics of the two Y chromosomal fertility genes A and C of Drosophila hydei (which form the lampbrush loops threads and pseudonucleolus) in order to test the validity of these different hypotheses. Both lampbrush loops bind specific proteins, which are recognized by different antisera. Absence of either of the lampbrush loops does not interfere with the synthesis of the antigens but completely prevents the binding of the particular antigen to other lampbrush loops. Absence of the loops also does not interfere with the postmeiotic presence and localization of the particular antigen. Deletion (or inactivation) of either of the lampbrush loops threads or pseudonucleolus causes sterility of the male flies as do other male-sterile alleles of both fertility genes, which do not affect the morphology of the lampbrush loops. The phenotypic effects of these mutations on sperm morphogenesis are identical for all various male-sterile alleles of each of the fertility genes A and C, regardless of whether a particular allele leaves the loop intact, modifies that loop, or deletes (or inactivates) the loop completely. Finally, the isolation of fertile Y chromosomal mutations which modify the morphology of the lampbrush loops demonstrates that it is possible to uncouple loop morphology and genetic function. These findings do not support the hypothesis that the binding of proteins to a lampbrush loop has a substantial impact on spermiogenesis.

An abundant testis RNA species shows sequence similarity to Y chromosomal and other genomic sites in Drosophila hydei

A cDNA clone bank was constructed from testis poly(A)+ RNA of Drosophila hydei and screened for clones which hybridize to Y chromosomal DNA sequences. The insert of clone cDhT14 hybridizes to a family of repeated DNA sequences with members distributed within the Y chromosome and elsewhere in the genome. This type of sequence has earlier been described as the Y-associated class of DNA. Southern blot analysis of DNA from different wild-type strains of D. hydei suggests that members of the T14 family of repeated DNA sequences are parts of a family of transposable elements. The genomic localization of the T14 family of repeated DNA sequences was revealed by in situ hybridization to metaphase and polytene chromosomes, and to transcripts of Y chromosomal lampbrush loops. Approximately 10-15 members (20%-30%) of the T14 sequence family reside in 8.3 kb PstI restriction fragments. A genomic clone of one of these DNA fragments, DhT14-8.3, hybridizes to transcripts on the Y chromosomal lampbrush loop "cones", and in conventional in situ hybridization experiments to region 12D/13A of the X chromosome and to region 112 of chromosome 5. The cDNA clone cDhT14 represents a part of an abundant testis RNA species of 5.0 kb. This RNA is also present in ovaries and in 0-3 h, 3-6 h and 6-12 h embryos, but less abundantly than in testes. Both the Y chromosomal site of the 8.3 kb PstI fragments and sites elsewhere in the genome are actively transcribed. At least one of the latter genomic sites is transcribed into the 5.0 kb RNA species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)