Conserved domains control heterochromatin localization and silencing properties of SU(VAR)3–7

Trans-inactivation: Repression in a wrong place

Trans-inactivation is the repression of genes on a normal chromosome under the influence of a rearranged homologous chromosome demonstrating the position effect variegation (PEV). This phenomenon was studied in detail on the example of brown^Dominant allele causing the repression of wild-type brown gene on the opposite chromosome. We have investigated another trans-inactivation-inducing chromosome rearrangement, In(2)A4 inversion. In both cases, brown^Dominant and In(2)A4, the repression seems to be the result of dragging of the euchromatic region of the normal chromosome into the heterochromatic environment. It was found that cis-inactivation (classical PEV) and trans-inactivation show different patterns of distribution along the chromosome and respond differently to PEV modifying genes. It appears that the causative mechanism of trans-inactivation is de novo heterochromatin assembly on euchromatic sequences dragged into the heterochromatic nuclear compartment. Trans-inactivation turns out to be the result of a combination of heterochromatin-induced position effect and the somatic interphase chromosome pairing that is widespread in Diptera.

Combining genetic perturbations and proteomics to examine kinase-phosphatase networks in Drosophila embryos

Connecting phosphorylation events to kinases and phosphatases is key to understanding the molecular organization and signaling dynamics of networks. We have generated a validated set of transgenic RNA-interference reagents for knockdown and characterization of all protein kinases and phosphatases present during early Drosophila melanogaster development. These genetic tools enable collection of sufficient quantities of embryos depleted of single gene products for proteomics. As a demonstration of an application of the collection, we have used multiplexed isobaric labeling for quantitative proteomics to derive global phosphorylation signatures associated with kinase-depleted embryos to systematically link phosphosites with relevant kinases. We demonstrate how this strategy uncovers kinase consensus motifs and prioritizes phosphoproteins for kinase target validation. We validate this approach by providing auxiliary evidence for Wee kinase-directed regulation of the chromatin regulator Stonewall. Further, we show how correlative phosphorylation at the site level can indicate function, as exemplified by Sterile20-like kinase-dependent regulation of Stat92E.

JIL-1 and Su(var)3-7 interact genetically and counteract each other's effect on position-effect variegation in Drosophila

The essential JIL-1 histone H3S10 kinase is a key regulator of chromatin structure that functions to maintain euchromatic domains while counteracting heterochromatization and gene silencing. In the absence of the JIL-1 kinase, two of the major heterochromatin markers H3K9me2 and HP1a spread in tandem to ectopic locations on the chromosome arms. Here we address the role of the third major heterochromatin component, the zinc-finger protein Su(var)3-7. We show that the lethality but not the chromosome morphology defects associated with the null JIL-1 phenotype to a large degree can be rescued by reducing the dose of the Su(var)3-7 gene and that Su(var)3-7 and JIL-1 loss-of-function mutations have an antagonistic and counterbalancing effect on position-effect variegation (PEV). Furthermore, we show that in the absence of JIL-1 kinase activity, Su(var)3-7 gets redistributed and upregulated on the chromosome arms. Reducing the dose of the Su(var)3-7 gene dramatically decreases this redistribution; however, the spreading of H3K9me2 to the chromosome arms was unaffected, strongly indicating that ectopic Su(var)3-9 activity is not a direct cause of lethality. These observations suggest a model where Su(var)3-7 functions as an effector downstream of Su(var)3-9 and H3K9 dimethylation in heterochromatic spreading and gene silencing that is normally counteracted by JIL-1 kinase activity.

Sumoylation of Drosophila SU(VAR)3-7 is required for its heterochromatic function

In Drosophila, SU(VAR)3-7 is an essential heterochromatin component. It is required for proper chromatin condensation, and changing its dose modifies position-effect variegation. Sumoylation is a post-translational modification shown to play a role in diverse biological processes. Here, we demonstrate that sumoylation is essential for proper heterochromatin function in Drosophila through modification of SU(VAR)3-7. Indeed, SU(VAR)3-7 is sumoylated at lysine K839; this modification is required for localization of SU(VAR)3-7 at pericentric heterochromatin, chromosome 4, and telomeres. In addition, sumoylation of SU(VAR)3-7 is a prerequisite for its ability to enhance position-effect variegation. Thus, these results show that the heterochromatic function of SU(VAR)3-7 depends on its own sumoylation, and unveil a role for sumoylation in Drosophila heterochromatin.

E(var)3-9 of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a zinc finger protein

The importance of a gene's natural chromatin environment for its normal expression is poignantly illustrated when a change in chromosome position results in variable gene repression, such as is observed in position effect variegation (PEV) when the Drosophila melanogaster white (omega) gene is juxtaposed with heterochromatin. The Enhancer of variegation 3-9 [E(var)3-9] gene was one of over a hundred loci identified in screens for mutations that dominantly modify PEV. Haploinsufficiency for E(var)3-9 enhances omegam4 variegation, as would be expected from increased heterochromatin formation. To clarify the role of E(var)3-9 in chromosome structure, the gene has been cloned and its mutant alleles characterized. The involvement of E(var)3-9 in structure determination was supported by its reciprocal effects on euchromatic and heterochromatic PEV; E(var)3-9 mutations increased expression of a variegating heterochromatic gene in two tissue types. E(var)3-9 mutations also had a recessive phenotype, maternal effect lethality, which implicated E(var)3-9 function in an essential process during embryogenesis. Both phenotypes of E(var)3-9 mutations were consistent with its proposed function in promoting normal chromosome structure. The cloning of E(var)3-9 by classical genetic methods revealed that it encodes a protein with multiple zinc fingers, but otherwise novel sequence.

A Distinct type of heterochromatin within Drosophila melanogaster chromosome 4

Studies of transcriptional gene silencing in Drosophila melanogaster suggest that most of chromosome 4 resembles pericentric heterochromatin. However, some modifiers of position-effect variegation, including chromosome 4 dosage and loss of SU(VAR)3-9, have different effects on silencing in pericentric vs. distal arm chromosome 4 heterochromatin, distinguishing these two heterochromatin types.

Spreading of silent chromatin: inaction at a distance

One of the oldest unsolved problems in genetics is the observation that gene silencing can 'spread' along a chromosome. Although spreading has been widely perceived as a process of long-range assembly of heterochromatin proteins, such 'oozing' might not apply in most cases. Rather, long-range silencing seems to be a dynamic process, involving local diffusion of histone-modifying enzymes from source binding sites to low-affinity sites nearby. Discontinuous silencing might reflect looping interactions, whereas the spreading of continuous silencing might be driven by the processive movement of RNA or DNA polymerases. We review the evidence for the spreading of silencing in many contexts and organisms and conclude that multiple mechanisms have evolved that silence genes at a distance.

Histone modification and the control of heterochromatic gene silencing in Drosophila

Covalent modifications of histones index structurally and functionally distinct chromatin domains in eukaryotic nuclei. Drosophila with its polytene chromosomes and developed genetics allows detailed cytological as well as functional analysis of epigenetic histone modifications involved in the control of gene expression pattern during development. All H3K9 mono- and dimethylation together with all H3K27 methylation states and H4K20 trimethylation are predominant marks of pericentric heterochromatin. In euchromatin, bands and interbands are differentially indexed. H3K4 and H3K36 methylation together with H3S10 phosphorylation are predominant marks of interband regions whereas in bands different H3K27 and H4K20 methylation states are combined with acetylation of H3K9 and H3K14. Genetic dissection of heterochromatic gene silencing in position-effect variegation (PEV) by Su(var) and E(var) mutations allowed identification and functional analysis of key factors controlling the formation of heterochromatin. SU(VAR)3-9 association with heterochromatic sequences followed by H3K9 methylation initiates the establishment of repressive SU(VAR)3-9/HP1/SU(VAR)3-7 protein complexes. Differential enzymatic activities of novel point mutants demonstrate that the silencing potential of SU(VAR)3-9 is mainly determined by the kinetic properties of the HMTase reaction. In Su(var)3-9ptn a significantly enhanced enzymatic activity results in H3K9 hypermethylation, enhanced gene silencing and extensive chromatin compaction. Mutations in factors controlling active histone modification marks revealed the dynamic balance between euchromatin and heterochromatin. Further analysis and definition of Su(var) and E(var) genes in Drosophila will increase our understanding of the molecular hierarchy of processes controlling higher-order structures in chromatin.