Telomeres and Heterochromatin in Drosophila

HeT DNA是一个复杂的重复序列家族，存在于人类基因组中。 果蝇 这些序列完全局限于 端粒和臂间异染色质。 的一个子集 HeT DNA家族由HeT-A元件组成， 已经发现的添加到末端的逆转录酶样元件 在果蝇中研究的四个“愈合”的端粒， 它们可能能够组织端粒序列。 我们建议通过以下方法来测试HeT DNA序列的假定功能： 试图构建功能性的果蝇微型染色体 使用这些序列。 微型染色体将被转化为 植入培养的果蝇细胞中， 保持和复制的线性染色体。 这样的染色体 将允许直接测试我们关于HeT功能的结论 DNA序列 如果我们成功建造迷你- 染色体，他们将是一个有用的工具，为其他研究 果蝇 *//

HeT DNA is a family of complex repeated sequences in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. The sequences are entirely confined to the telomeres and the pericentric heterochromatin. One subset of the HeT DNA family consists of the HeT-A elements a novel set of retroposon-like elements that have bee found added onto the ends of the four "healed" telomeres that have been studied in Drosophila or they may be able to organize telomere sequences. We propose to test the putative function of HeT DNA sequences by attempting to construct functional Drosophila mini-chromosomes using these sequences. The mini-chromosomes will be transformed into cultured Drosophila cells and assayed for their ability to be maintained and replicated as linear chromosomes. Such chromosomes would allow a direct test of our conclusions about functions of HeT DNA sequences. If we are successful in constructing mini- chromosomes, they will be a useful tool for other studies on Drosophila.***//