A novel cis-regulatory element, the PTS, mediates an anti-insulator activity in the Drosophila embryo

Jumin Zhou, Michael Levine

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

113 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Abd-B Hox gene contains an extended 3' cis-regulatory region that is subdivided into a series of separate lab domains. The iab-7 domain activates Abd-B in parasegment 12 (ps12), whereas iab-8 controls expression in ps13. iab-7 is flanked by two insulators, Fab-7 and Fab-8, which are thought to prevent regulatory factors, such as Polycomb silencers, from influencing neighboring iab domains. This organization poses a potential paradox, since insulator DNAs can work in a dominant fashion to block enhancer-promoter interactions over long distances. Here, we present evidence for a novel cis- regulatory sequence located within iab-7, the promoter targeting sequence (PTS), which permits distal enhancers to overcome the blocking effects of Fab-8 and the heterologous su(Hw) insulator. We propose that the PTS converts dominant, long-range insulators into local regulatory elements that separate neighboring iab domains.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)567-575
Number of pages9
JournalCell
Volume99
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 10 1999
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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