The Integrity of the HMR complex is necessary for centromeric binding and reproductive isolation in Drosophila

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009744
• Publication Date: 2021-08-23T17:51:00Z
• Authors: Andrea Lukacs; Andreas W. Thomae; Peter Krueger; Tamas Schauer; Anuroop V. Venkat...; Natalia Y. Kochanova; Wasim Aftab; Rupam Choudhury; Ignasi Forne; Axel Imhof
• Keywords: Isolation; Reproductive isolation

Postzygotic isolation by genomic conflict is a major cause for the formation of species. Despite its importance, molecular mechanisms that result in lethality interspecies hybrids are still largely unclear. The genus Drosophila, which contains over 1600 different species, one best characterized model systems to study these questions. We showed past expression levels two hybrid incompatibility factors Hmr and Lhr diverged closely related Drosophila D. melanogaster simulans, resulting an increased level both proteins hybrids. overexpression also leads mitotic defects, misregulation transposable elements decreased fertility pure In this work, we describe distinct six subunit protein complex containing HMR LHR analyse effect mutations on integrity function. Our experiments suggest needs bring together components centromeric pericentromeric chromatin fulfil physiological function male lethality.