Genetics. Published Articles Ahead of Print: July 2, 2006, Copyright © 2006
doi:10.1534/genetics.106.061556


A more recent version of this article appeared on September 1, 2006.

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Molecular characterization of teflon, a gene required for meiotic autosome segregation in male Drosophila melanogaster

Gunjan H. Arya 1, Matthew J. P. LoDico 1, Omar I. Ahmad 2, Rohul Amin 1 and John E. Tomkiel 1*

1 The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
2 Wayne State University

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jetomkie{at}uncg.edu.

Submitted on June 1, 2006
Revised on June 27, 2006
Accepted on 27 June 2006


Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster males lack recombination and have evolved a mechanism of meiotic chromosome segregation that is independent of both the chiasmatic and achiasmatic segregation systems of females. The teflon (tef) gene is specifically required in males for proper segregation of autosomes, and provides a genetic tool for understanding recombination-independent mechanisms of pairing and segregation as well as differences in sex chromosome versus autosome segregation. Here we report on the cloning of the tef gene and the molecular characterization of tef mutations. Rescue experiments using a GAL4-driven pUAS transgene demonstrate that tef corresponds to predicted Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project gene CG8961, and that tef expression is required in the male germ line prior to spermatocyte stage S4. Consistent with this early prophase requirement, expression of tef was found to be independent of regulators of meiotic M phase initiation or progression. The predicted Tef protein contains three C2H2 zinc finger motifs, one at the amino terminus and two in tandem at the carboxyl terminus. In addition to the zinc finger motifs, a 44-45 basepair repeat is conserved in three related Drosophila species. Based on these findings, we propose a role for Tef as a bridging molecule that holds autosome bivalents together via heterochromatic connections.

Key Words: Drosophila, autosome, male meiosis, teflon, zinc fingers