Jb. Stavenhagen et Va. Zakian, INTERNAL TRACTS OF TELOMERIC DNA ACT AS SILENCERS IN SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE, Genes & development, 8(12), 1994, pp. 1411-1422
Telomeric position effect (TPE) refers to the ability of telomeres to
repress the transcription of genes in their vicinity. Internal stretch
es of C(1-3)A DNA, the sequence found at Saccharomyces telomeres, also
repressed transcription of nearby genes. This repression, hereafter c
alled C(1-3)A-based silencing, was observed at several chromosomal loc
i, including on a circular chromosome. The magnitude of C(1-3)A-based
silencing was increased by both proximity to a telomere and increased
length of the C(1-3)A tracts. C(1-3)A-based silencing was affected by
many of the same genes and conditions that influence TPE and acted in
an orientation-independent manner. Thus, in yeast, an expanded array o
f a simple repetitive DNA, C(1-3)A, is sufficient to promote the assem
bly of a transcriptionally silent chromosomal domain.