Cited by 128Chromosomal and Genetic VariationsGenomics and Chromatin DynamicsEpigenetics and DNA Methylation

The flamenco Locus Controls the gypsy and ZAM Retroviruses and Is Required for Drosophila Oogenesis

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Mével-Ninio, Maryvonne, Pelisson, Alain, Kinder, Jennifer, Campos, Ana Regina, Bucheton, Alain·2007·Genetics

Abstract

In Drosophila, the as yet uncloned heterochromatic locus flamenco (flam) controls mobilization of the endogenous retrovirus gypsy through the repeat-associated small interfering (rasi) RNA silencing pathway. Restrictive alleles (flamR) downregulate accumulation of gypsy transcripts in the somatic follicular epithelium of the ovary. In contrast, permissive alleles (flamP) are unable to repress gypsy. DIP1, the closest transcription unit to a flam-insertional mutation, was considered as a good candidate to be a gypsy regulator, since it encodes a dsRNA-binding protein. To further characterize the locus we analyzed P-induced flam mutants and generated new mutations by transposon mobilization. We show that flam is required somatically for morphogenesis of the follicular epithelium, the tissue where gypsy is repressed. This developmental activity is necessary to control gypsy and another retroelement, ZAM. We also show that flam is not DIP1, as none of the new permissive mutants affect the DIP1 coding sequence. In addition, two deletions removing DIP1 coding sequences do not affect any of the flamenco functions. Our results suggest that flamenco extends proximally to DIP1, spanning >130 kb of transposon-rich heterochromatin. We propose a model explaining the multiple functions of this large heterochromatic locus.

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Crossref · 10.1534/genetics.106.068106

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  • Homozygous permissive loss-of-function alleles of flamenco allow transposable element mobilization and increase transposable element copy number within the Drosophila genome.

    “Homozygous “permissive” loss of function alleles of flamenco allow transposable element mobilization and increase transposable element copy number within the Drosophila genome23,24.”

    From Pathogenic tau-induced piRNA depletion promotes neuronal death through transposable element dysregulation in neurodegenerative tauopathies (2018) · cites this paper as [24]

    The paper states that homozygous permissive flamenco strains allow high levels of gypsy replicative transposition, and its Discussion reports that flamenco mutations remove repression of gypsy and ZAM. But the passage on gypsy copy number also says most permissive stocks remain stable because they lack functional gypsy proviruses. It therefore does not support an unqualified increase in transposable-element copy number. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The flamenco locus harbors piRNAs that specifically degrade gypsy, Idefix, and ZAM transposable element transcripts, among others.

    “The flamenco locus harbors piRNAs that specifically degrade gypsy, Idefix, and ZAM transposable element transcripts24, among others.”

    From Pathogenic tau-induced piRNA depletion promotes neuronal death through transposable element dysregulation in neurodegenerative tauopathies (2018) · cites this paper as [24]

    The Results passage on P-element-induced mutations reports that flamenco is likely required for the accumulation of gypsy rasiRNAs, and the Discussion reports repression of gypsy and ZAM. Our copy does not establish that flamenco harbors piRNAs that directly degrade those transcripts, and the searched passages provide no support for Idefix. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. 1995, Endocrinology, 136, 4640, 10.1210/endo.136.10.7664684 · DOI
  2. 1986, Mol. Cell. Biol., 6, 1129

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Authors
Mével-Ninio, M., Pelisson, A., Kinder, J., Campos, A. R., & Bucheton, A.
Affiliations
  • Institut de Génétique Humaine , Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 34396 Montpellier Cedex 5, France and
  • McMaster University (CA)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Venue
Genetics
Published
2007-04-01
Volume
175
Issue
4
Pages
1615-1624
ISSN
  • 0016-6731 (ISSN-L)
  • 1943-2631
OpenAlex
W2171069705
Cited by
128
References
39
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
FWCI
14.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer
  • European Commission
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
Keywords
Drosophila oogenesis, heterochromatin, RNA interference, dsRNA-binding proteins, transposon mobility
MeSH terms
Animals, Base Sequence, Drosophila melanogaster, Female, Genetic Complementation Test, Heterochromatin, Oogenesis, Retroviridae, Transcription Factors, Cadherins, Mutagenesis, Insertional, Genes, Insect, DNA Primers, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Drosophila Proteins, Animals, Genetically Modified, RNA, Small Interfering

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