F. Verni et al., Genetic and molecular analysis of wings apart-like (wapl), a gene controlling heterochromatin organization in Drosophila melanogaster, GENETICS, 154(4), 2000, pp. 1693-1710
Mutations in the X-linked gene wings apart-like (wapl) result in late larva
l lethality associated with an unusual chromosome morphology. In brain cell
metaphases of wapl mutants, sister chromatids of all chromosomes are align
ed parallel to each other instead of assuming the typical morphology observ
ed in wild type. This effect is due to a loosening of the adhesion between
sister chromatids in the heterochromatic regions of the chromosomes. Despit
e this aberrant chromosome morphology, mutant brains exhibit normal mitotic
parameters, suggesting that heterochromatin cohesion is not essential for
proper centromere function. On the basis of these observations, we examined
the role of wapl in meiotic chromosome segregation in females. wapl exhibi
ts a dear dominant effect on achiasmate segregation, giving further support
to the hypothesis that proximal heterochromatin is involved in chromosome
pairing during female meiosis. We also examined whether wapl modulates posi
tion-effect variegation (PEV). Our analyses showed that wapl is a dominant
suppressor of both white and Stubble variegation, while it is a weak enhanc
er of brown variegation. wapl maps to region 2D of the X chromosome between
Pgd and pn. Mie identified the wapl gene within a pretiously conducted chr
omosomal walk in this region. The wapl transcriptional unit gives rise to t
wo alternatively spliced transcripts 6.5- and 5-kb long. The protein encode
d by the larger of these transcripts appears to be conserved among higher e
ukaryotes and contains a tract of acidic amino acids reminiscent of many ch
romatin-associated proteins, including two [HPl and SU(VAR) 3-7] encoded by
other genes that act as suppressors of PEV.