Expression of hp1 Family Genes and Their Plausible Role in Formation of flamenco Phenotype in D. melanogaster

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A. R. Lavrenov¹, L. N. Nefedova², N. I. Romanova², and A. I. Kim^2*

¹Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Vavilova 26, 119334 Moscow, Russia; fax: +7 (499) 135-8012

²Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: aikim57@mail.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received April 7, 2014; Revision received July 2, 2014

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Results of expression analysis of transcription of the flamenco locus that controls transposition of the mobile genetic element gypsy, RNA interference system genes ago3, zuc, aub, and HP1 heterochromatin protein family genes hp1a, hp1b, hp1c, hp1d (rhino), and hp1e in D. melanogaster SS strain mutant on the flamenco gene are presented. We show that the number of transcripts in the SS strain that are formed in the flamenco locus is unchanged in some freely chosen points, and this is different from the wild-type strain where a decreased number of transcripts is observed, which clearly is a result of processing of the flamenco locus primary transcript, a predecessor of piRNA. At the same time, expression of genes of the RNA interference system is not affected, but there is a reduced level of hp1d gene expression in ovary tissue. We suggest that the hp1d gene product is directly or indirectly involved in the flamenco locus primary transcript processing.

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KEY WORDS: gene expression, RNA interference, heterochromatin proteins, Drosophila, flamenco, mobile genetic elements

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297914110157

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