A nuclear architecture screen in Drosophila identifies Stonewall as a link between chromatin position at the nuclear periphery and germline stem cell fate
Abstract
The association of genomic loci to the nuclear periphery is proposed to facilitate cell-type specific gene repression and influence cell fate decisions. However, the interplay between gene position and expression remains incompletely understood, in part because the proteins that position genomic loci at the nuclear periphery remain unidentified. Here, we used an Oligopaint-based HiDRO screen targeting ∼1000 genes to discover novel regulators of nuclear architecture in Drosophila cells. We identified the heterochromatin-associated protein, Stonewall (Stwl), as a factor promoting perinuclear chromatin positioning. In female germline stem cells (GSCs), Stwl binds and positions chromatin loci, including GSC differentiation genes, at the nuclear periphery. Strikingly, Stwl-dependent perinuclear positioning is associated with transcriptional repression, highlighting a likely mechanism for Stwl’s known role in GSC maintenance and ovary homeostasis. Thus, our study identifies perinuclear anchors in Drosophila and demonstrates the importance of gene repression at the nuclear periphery for cell fate. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000648488Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
bioRxivPublisher
Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryEdition / version
v1Subject
Nuclear architecture; Genome organization; Nuclear periphery; Heterochromatin; Germline stem cellOrganisational unit
09669 - Jagannathan, Madhav / Jagannathan, Madhav
03543 - Kutay, Ulrike / Kutay, Ulrike
Funding
189131 - Novel approaches to the study of satellite DNA function in eukaryotes (SNF)
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