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Dosage compensation and template organisation in Drosophila: In situ transcriptional analysis of the chromatin template activity of the X and autosomes of D. melanogaster strains trisomic for the left arm of the second and third chromosomes

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Abstract

The chromatin template activity of the fixed polytene chromosomes of larval salivary glands of Drosophila melanogaster strains trisomic for the entire left arm of chromosome 2 or chromosome 3 was monitored using 3H-UTP and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme. The three doses of active loci in the trisomic strains were found to synthesize 30%–40% more RNA than the normal double dose of the same region in the wild-type male and female. The higher template activity of the genes on 2L or 3L in the trisomic strains, had no marked effect on the chromatin template activity of the X chromosomes of the male or female. These results suggest that (1) the template activity of an autosomal gene must be viewed as a basal level, comparable to the female X-chromosome and (2) hyperploids for any region of chromosome 2L or 3L have very little or no recognisable influence on X chromosomal organisation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, 700019, Calcutta, India

    U. Bhadra & R. N. Chatterjee

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  1. U. Bhadra
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  2. R. N. Chatterjee
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We dedicate this work with respect and affection to Professor W. Beermann in honour of his sixty-fifth birthday

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Bhadra, U., Chatterjee, R.N. Dosage compensation and template organisation in Drosophila: In situ transcriptional analysis of the chromatin template activity of the X and autosomes of D. melanogaster strains trisomic for the left arm of the second and third chromosomes. Chromosoma 94, 285–292 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290858

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290858

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