IDT. Quality oligos. Every time.

Genetics, Vol. 153, 787-798, October 1999, Copyright © 1999

Enhancer Blocking by the Drosophila gypsy Insulator Depends Upon Insulator Anatomy and Enhancer Strength

Kristin C. Scotta, Aaron D. Taubmana, and Pamela K. Geyera
a Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Corresponding author: Pamela K. Geyer, Department of Biochemistry, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242., pamela-geyer{at}uiowa.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: M. J. SIMMONS

Insulators are specialized DNA sequences that prevent enhancer-activated transcription only when interposed between an enhancer and its target promoter. The Drosophila gypsy retrotransposon contains an insulator composed of 12 degenerate binding sites for the Suppressor of Hairy-wing [Su(Hw)] protein that are separated by AT-rich DNA possessing sequence motifs common to matrix/scaffold attachment regions (MARs/SARs). To further understand mechanisms of insulator function, the parameters required for the gypsy insulator to prevent enhancer-activated transcription were examined. Synthetic binding regions were created by reiteration of a single Su(Hw) binding site that lacked the MAR/SAR motifs. These synthetic binding regions reconstituted insulator activity, suggesting that the property of enhancer blocking may be distinct from matrix association. We found that the number and spacing of Su(Hw) binding sites within the gypsy insulator, as well as the strength of the enhancer to be blocked, were important determinants of insulator function. These results provide a link between transcription and insulation, suggesting that these processes may be mechanistically interconnected.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nucleic Acids ResHome page
O. Kyrchanova, D. Chetverina, O. Maksimenko, A. Kullyev, and P. Georgiev
Orientation-dependent interaction between Drosophila insulators is a property of this class of regulatory elements
Nucleic Acids Res., December 1, 2008; 36(22): 7019 - 7028.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
O. Maksimenko, A. Golovnin, and P. Georgiev
Enhancer-Promoter Communication Is Regulated by Insulator Pairing in a Drosophila Model Bigenic Locus
Mol. Cell. Biol., September 1, 2008; 28(17): 5469 - 5477.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
E. J. Kuhn-Parnell, C. Helou, D. J. Marion, B. L. Gilmore, T. J. Parnell, M. S. Wold, and P. K. Geyer
Investigation of the Properties of Non-gypsy Suppressor of Hairy-wing-Binding Sites
Genetics, July 1, 2008; 179(3): 1263 - 1273.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
H. Zhao, A. Kim, S.-h. Song, and A. Dean
Enhancer Blocking by Chicken beta-Globin 5'-HS4: ROLE OF ENHANCER STRENGTH AND INSULATOR NUCLEOSOME DEPLETION
J. Biol. Chem., October 13, 2006; 281(41): 30573 - 30580.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
T. J. Parnell, E. J. Kuhn, B. L. Gilmore, C. Helou, M. S. Wold, and P. K. Geyer
Identification of Genomic Sites That Bind the Drosophila Suppressor of Hairy-wing Insulator Protein
Mol. Cell. Biol., August 15, 2006; 26(16): 5983 - 5993.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J BiochemHome page
S. Tajima, K. Shinohara, M. Fukumoto, R. Zaitsu, J. Miyagawa, S. Hino, J. Fan, K. Akasaka, and M. Matsuoka
Ars insulator identified in sea urchin possesses an activity to ensure the transgene expression in mouse cells.
J. Biochem., April 1, 2006; 139(4): 705 - 714.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
E. Ramos, D. Ghosh, E. Baxter, and V. G. Corces
Genomic Organization of gypsy Chromatin Insulators in Drosophila melanogaster
Genetics, April 1, 2006; 172(4): 2337 - 2349.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
E. Savitskaya, L. Melnikova, M. Kostuchenko, E. Kravchenko, E. Pomerantseva, T. Boikova, D. Chetverina, A. Parshikov, P. Zobacheva, E. Gracheva, et al.
Study of Long-Distance Functional Interactions between Su(Hw) Insulators That Can Regulate Enhancer-Promoter Communication in Drosophila melanogaster
Mol. Cell. Biol., February 1, 2006; 26(3): 754 - 761.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
A. Golovnin, E. Melnick, A. Mazur, and P. Georgiev
Drosophila Su(Hw) Insulator Can Stimulate Transcription of a Weakened yellow Promoter Over a Distance
Genetics, July 1, 2005; 170(3): 1133 - 1142.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
L. Melnikova, F. Juge, N. Gruzdeva, A. Mazur, G. Cavalli, and P. Georgiev
Interaction between the GAGA factor and Mod(mdg4) proteins promotes insulator bypass in Drosophila
PNAS, October 12, 2004; 101(41): 14806 - 14811.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
T. M. Yusufzai and G. Felsenfeld
The 5'-HS4 chicken {beta}-globin insulator is a CTCF-dependent nuclear matrix-associated element
PNAS, June 8, 2004; 101(23): 8620 - 8624.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
K. Tanimoto, A. Sugiura, A. Omori, G. Felsenfeld, J. D. Engel, and A. Fukamizu
Human {beta}-Globin Locus Control Region HS5 Contains CTCF- and Developmental Stage-Dependent Enhancer-Blocking Activity in Erythroid Cells
Mol. Cell. Biol., December 15, 2003; 23(24): 8946 - 8952.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
T. J. Parnell, M. M. Viering, A. Skjesol, C. Helou, E. J. Kuhn, and P. K. Geyer
An endogenous Suppressor of Hairy-wing insulator separates regulatory domains in Drosophila
PNAS, November 11, 2003; 100(23): 13436 - 13441.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
A. Golovnin, I. Biryukova, O. Romanova, M. Silicheva, A. Parshikov, E. Savitskaya, V. Pirrotta, and P. Georgiev
An endogenous Su(Hw) insulator separates the yellow gene from the Achaete-scute gene complex in Drosophila
Development, July 15, 2003; 130(14): 3249 - 3258.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
D. A. Petrov, Y. T. Aminetzach, J. C. Davis, D. Bensasson, and A. E. Hirsh
Size Matters: Non-LTR Retrotransposable Elements and Ectopic Recombination in Drosophila
Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2003; 20(6): 880 - 892.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
P. Majumder and H. N. Cai
The functional analysis of insulator interactions in the Drosophila embryo
PNAS, April 29, 2003; 100(9): 5223 - 5228.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
M. Savitsky, T. Kahn, E. Pomerantseva, and P. Georgiev
Transvection at the End of the Truncated Chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster
Genetics, April 1, 2003; 163(4): 1375 - 1387.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Mol GenetHome page
K. Ishihara and H. Sasaki
An evolutionarily conserved putative insulator element near the 3' boundary of the imprinted Igf2/H19 domain
Hum. Mol. Genet., July 1, 2002; 11(14): 1627 - 1636.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
L. Melnikova, M. Gause, and P. Georgiev
The gypsy Insulators Flanking yellow Enhancers Do Not Form a Separate Transcriptional Domain in Drosophila melanogaster: The Enhancers Can Activate an Isolated yellow Promoter
Genetics, April 1, 2002; 160(4): 1549 - 1560.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Cell. Biol.Home page
W. Wei and M. D. Brennan
The gypsy Insulator Can Act as a Promoter-Specific Transcriptional Stimulator
Mol. Cell. Biol., November 15, 2001; 21(22): 7714 - 7720.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
H. N. Cai, Z. Zhang, J. R. Adams, and P. Shen
Genomic context modulates insulator activity through promoter competition
Development, November 1, 2001; 128(21): 4339 - 4347.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
H. N. Cai and P. Shen
Effects of cis Arrangement of Chromatin Insulators on Enhancer-Blocking Activity
Science, January 19, 2001; 291(5503): 493 - 495.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 J. Virol.Home page
C. Modin, F. S. Pedersen, and M. Duch
Lack of Shielding of Primer Binding Site Silencer-Mediated Repression of an Internal Promoter in a Retrovirus Vector by the Putative Insulators scs, BEAD-1, and HS4
J. Virol., December 15, 2000; 74(24): 11697 - 11707.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
W. Wei and M. D. Brennan
Polarity of transcriptional enhancement revealed by an insulator element
PNAS, December 8, 2000; (2000) 11529598.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
W. Wei and M. D. Brennan
Polarity of transcriptional enhancement revealed by an insulator element
PNAS, December 19, 2000; 97(26): 14518 - 14523.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]