Architectural protein Pita cooperates with dCTCF in organization of functional boundaries in Bithorax complex

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.149815
• Publication Date: 2017-06-16T00:40:25Z
• Authors: Olga Kyrchanova; Nikolay Zolotarev; Vladic Mogila; Oksana Maksimenko; Paul Schedl; Pavel Georgiev
• Keywords: Crosstalk

Boundaries in the Bithorax complex (BX-C) of Drosophila delimit autonomous regulatory domains that drive parasegment-specific expression homeotic genes. BX-C boundaries have two crucial functions: they must block crosstalk between adjacent and at same time facilitate boundary bypass. The C2H2 zinc-finger protein Pita binds to several boundaries, including Fab-7 Mcp. To study functions, we used a replacement strategy by substituting modified DNAs for boundary, which is located iab-6 iab-7 domains. Multimerized sites iab-6↔iab-7 but fail support regulation Abd-B (bypass). In case Fab-7, novel sensitized background show Pita-binding contribute its function. Although Mcp from BX-C, it does not function appropriately when substituted Fab-7: blocks Mutation site disrupts blocking activity also eliminates dCTCF binding. contrast, mutation affect binding, this mutant retains partial