The P Cytotype in Drosophila melanogaster: A Maternally Transmitted Regulatory State of the Germ Line Associated With Telomeric P Elements

Corresponding author: Michael J. Simmons, Cell Biology and Development, 250 BioScience Center, 1445 Gortner Ave., University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108-1095., simmo004{at}umn.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: R. S. HAWLEY

The incomplete P elements TP5 and TP6 are inserted in the TAS repeats near the left telomere of the Drosophila melanogaster X chromosome. These telomeric P elements repress P-induced gonadal dysgenesis and germ-line hypermutability in both sexes. However, their capacity to repress hypermutability is lost when they are transmitted patroclinously in a cross. TP5 and TP6 do not repress P-element activity in somatic cells, nor do they alter the somatic or germ-line phenotypes of P-insertion alleles. In the germ line, these elements suppress the phenotype of a P-insertion allele of the singed gene that is evoked by other P elements, presumably because these other elements encode repressor polypeptides. This suppression is more effective when the telomeric P elements are inherited maternally. Regulation by telomeric P elements parallels that of the P cytotype, a state that represses P-element activity in some strains of Drosophila. This state exists only in the germ line and is maternally transmitted along with the P elements themselves. Regulation by known repressor P polypeptides is not restricted to the germ line and does not require maternal transmission of the relevant P elements. Regulation by telomeric P elements appears to be epistatic to regulation by repressor P polypeptides.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. A. Jensen, J. R. Stuart, M. P. Goodpaster, J. W. Goodman, and M. J. Simmons Cytotype Regulation of P Transposable Elements in Drosophila melanogaster: Repressor Polypeptides or piRNAs? Genetics, August 1, 2008; 179(4): 1785 - 1793. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Simmons, J. B. Niemi, D.-F. Ryzek, C. Lamour, J. W. Goodman, W. Kraszkiewicz, and R. Wolff Cytotype Regulation by Telomeric P Elements in Drosophila melanogaster: Interactions With P Elements From M' Strains Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 1957 - 1966. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Simmons, D.-F. Ryzek, C. Lamour, J. W. Goodman, N. E. Kummer, and P. J. Merriman Cytotype Regulation by Telomeric P Elements in Drosophila melanogaster: Evidence for Involvement of an RNA Interference Gene Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 1945 - 1955. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Haley, J. R. Stuart, J. D. Raymond, J. B. Niemi, and M. J. Simmons Impairment of Cytotype Regulation of P-Element Activity in Drosophila melanogaster by Mutations in the Su(var)205 Gene Genetics, October 1, 2005; 171(2): 583 - 595. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Bushey and J. Locke Mutations in Su(var)205 and Su(var)3-7 Suppress P-Element-Dependent Silencing in Drosophila melanogaster Genetics, November 1, 2004; 168(3): 1395 - 1411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. Niemi, J. D. Raymond, R. Patrek, and M. J. Simmons Establishment and Maintenance of the P Cytotype Associated With Telomeric P Elements in Drosophila melanogaster Genetics, January 1, 2004; 166(1): 255 - 264. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]