Enhancer of polycomb maintains germline activity and genome integrity in Drosophila testis

Cell Death Differ. 2018 Aug;25(8):1486-1502. doi: 10.1038/s41418-017-0056-5. Epub 2018 Jan 23.

Abstract

Tissue homeostasis depends on the ability of tissue-specific adult stem cells to maintain a balance between proliferation and differentiation, as well as ensure DNA damage repair. Here, we use the Drosophila male germline stem cell system to study how a chromatin factor, enhancer of polycomb [E(Pc)], regulates the proliferation-to-differentiation (mitosis-to-meiosis) transition and DNA damage repair. We identified two critical targets of E(Pc). First, E(Pc) represses CycB transcription, likely through modulating H4 acetylation. Second, E(Pc) is required for accumulation of an important germline differentiation factor, Bag-of-marbles (Bam), through post-transcriptional regulation. When E(Pc) is downregulated, increased CycB and decreased Bam are both responsible for defective mitosis-to-meiosis transition in the germline. Moreover, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) accumulate upon germline inactivation of E(Pc) under both physiological condition and recovery from heat shock-induced endonuclease expression. Failure of robust DSB repair likely leads to germ cell loss. Finally, compromising the activity of Tip60, a histone acetyltransferase, leads to germline defects similar to E(Pc) loss-of-function, suggesting that E(Pc) acts cooperatively with Tip60. Together, our data demonstrate that E(Pc) has pleiotropic roles in maintaining male germline activity and genome integrity. Our findings will help elucidate the in vivo molecular mechanisms of E(Pc).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Animals
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cyclin B / genetics
  • Cyclin B / metabolism
  • DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded
  • Drosophila / metabolism*
  • Drosophila Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Genome*
  • Germ Cells / cytology
  • Germ Cells / metabolism
  • Histone Acetyltransferases / metabolism
  • Male
  • Meiosis
  • Mitosis
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins / genetics
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Testis / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
  • CycB protein, Drosophila
  • Cyclin B
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Polycomb-Group Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • bam protein, Drosophila
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Tip60 protein, Drosophila