Premium
Temperature‐dependent gene silencing by an expressed inverted repeat in Drosophila
Author(s) -
Fortier Eric,
Belote John M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1526-968x(200004)26:4<240::aid-gene40>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - biology , gene silencing , rna silencing , drosophila melanogaster , transgene , mutant , genetics , rna interference , gene , phenotype , transcription (linguistics) , transposable element , rna , microbiology and biotechnology , linguistics , philosophy
Summary: Posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) induced by double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) is an intriguing phenomenon that has been observed in a variety of organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster . Although PTGS in Drosophila is typically observed following direct injection of the dsRNA into embryos, it is theoretically possible that the in vivo transcription of an inverted repeat transgene might also produce a dsRNA “hairpin” that is capable of triggering PTGS. Here we test this idea, and show that an expressed inverted repeat of a portion of the sex differentiation gene, transformer ‐2, ( tra ‐2), driven by a GAL4‐dependent promoter, does genetically repress the endogenous wild‐type tra ‐2 function, producing a dominant loss‐of‐function mutant phenotype. Remarkably, this effect is temperature‐sensitive, with phenotypic consequences seen at 29°, but not at 22°. Moreover, by altering the dosage of either the transgenes or the endogenous tra 2 + loci, one can vary the effect over a wide range of mutant phenotypes. genesis 26:240–244, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.