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Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 2000, p. 312-318, Vol. 20, No. 1
Department of Biology, Emory University,
Atlanta, Georgia 303221; Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia H.S.C.,
Charlottesville, Virginia 229082; and
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baylor College of
Medicine, Houston, Texas 770303
Received 30 August 1999/Returned for modification 27 September
1999/Accepted 5 October 1999
In Drosophila, dosage compensation
0270-7306/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
The Drosophila MSL Complex Acetylates
Histone H4 at Lysine 16, a Chromatin Modification Linked to
Dosage Compensation
the equalization of
most X-linked gene products in males and females
is achieved by a
twofold enhancement of the level of transcription of the X chromosome in males relative to each X chromosome in females. A complex consisting of at least five gene products preferentially binds the X chromosome at
numerous sites in males and results in a significant increase in the
presence of a specific histone isoform, histone 4 acetylated at lysine
16. Recently, RNA transcripts (roX1 and roX2)
encoded by two different genes have also been found associated with the X chromosome in males. We have partially purified a complex containing MSL1, -2, and -3, MOF, MLE, and roX2 RNA and demonstrated
that it exclusively acetylates H4 at lysine 16 on nucleosomal
substrates. These results demonstrate that the MSL complex is
responsible for the specific chromatin modification characteristic of
the X chromosome in Drosophila males.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Biology, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322. Phone: (404) 727-4234. Fax: (404) 727-2880. E-mail:
Lucchesi{at}biology.emory.edu.
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