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Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 2009, p. 515-525, Vol. 29, No. 2
0270-7306/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MCB.01044-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Polycomb Group Protein Suppressor 2 of Zeste Is a Functional Homolog of Posterior Sex Combs{triangledown} ,§

Stanley M. Lo, Nitin K. Ahuja,{dagger} and Nicole J. Francis*

Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Received 3 July 2008/ Returned for modification 29 July 2008/ Accepted 22 October 2008

The Drosophila melanogaster Polycomb group protein Posterior Sex Combs is a component of Polycomb repressive complex 1 and is central to Polycomb group-mediated silencing. A related Polycomb group gene, Suppressor 2 of zeste, is thought to be partially redundant in function. The two proteins share a small region of homology but also contain regions of unconserved sequences. Here we report a biochemical characterization of Suppressor 2 of zeste. Like Posterior Sex Combs, Suppressor 2 of zeste binds DNA, compacts chromatin, and inhibits chromatin remodeling. Interestingly, the regions of the two proteins responsible for these activities lack sequence homology. Suppressor 2 of zeste can also replace Posterior Sex Combs in a functional complex with other Polycomb group proteins, but unlike with their biochemical activities, complex formation is mediated by the region of Suppressor 2 of zeste that is homologous to that of Posterior Sex Combs. Our results establish Suppressor 2 of zeste as a functional homolog of Posterior Sex Combs and suggest that the two proteins operate via similar molecular mechanisms.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138. Phone: (617) 496-9397. Fax: (617) 495-8308. E-mail: francis{at}mcb.harvard.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 3 November 2008.

§ Supplemental material for this article may be found at http://mcb.asm.org/.

{dagger} Present address: University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI.

Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 2009, p. 515-525, Vol. 29, No. 2
0270-7306/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MCB.01044-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Emmons, R. B., Genetti, H., Filandrinos, S., Lokere, J., Wu, C.-t. (2009). Molecular Genetic Analysis of Suppressor 2 of zeste Identifies Key Functional Domains. Genetics 182: 999-1013 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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