The logistics on the drosophila X chromosome

Friday, October 2, 2015 - 07:50 in Biology & Nature

If we place an order in an online store we are often thrilled how fast the parcel is delivered to our doorstep. This is possible because logistic companies have established a very reliable and efficient system to distribute goods. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg now uncovered a similar distribution system in flies to achieve dosage compensation. By combining state-of-the-art molecular and imaging techniques the researchers revealed a molecular mechanism that allows the protein complexes that regulate dosage compensation to spread over the entire X chromosome. They observed that the so-called high affinity sites (HAS), which are binding regions for the protein complexes, often occur at X chromosomal regions with enriched long-range contacts to each other and further positions on the X chromosome. These central logistics hubs then facilitate the distribution of the dosage compensation machinery towards nearby locations.

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