- publication
- 08-08-2018
Boundaries (insulators) in the bithorax complex (BX-C) delimit autonomous regulatory domains that orchestrate the parasegment (PS)-specific expression of the BX-C homeotic genes. The boundary separates the and regulatory domains, which control Abd-B expression in PS11 and PS12, respectively. This boundary is composed of multiple functionally redundant elements and has two key functions: it blocks crosstalk between and and facilitates boundary bypass. Here, we show that two BEN domain protein complexes, Insensitive and Elba, bind to multiple sequences located in the nuclease hypersensitive regions. Two of these sequences are recognized by both Insv and Elba and correspond to a CCAATTGG palindrome. Elba also binds to a related CCAATAAG sequence, while Insv does not. However, the third Insv recognition sequences is ~100 bp in length and contains the CCAATAAG sequence at one end. Both Insv and Elba are assembled into large complexes (~420 kD and ~265-290 kD, respectively) in nuclear extracts. Using a sensitized genetic background we show that the Insv protein is required for boundary function, and that PS11 identity is not properly established in mutants. This is the first demonstration that a BEN domain protein is important for the functioning of an endogenous fly boundary.
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