Abstracts (poster) - Wissenschaft Online

Yamuna Gangadharan, Gary Karpen, Patrick Heun
The role of Drosophila SUMO E3 ligase dPIAS in Chromosome
and Nuclear Organization
PIAS (Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT) is a protein family capable of activating and
repressing transcription depending on their interacting proteins. PIAS protein family
members are conserved from yeast to mammals. In Drosophila, dPIAS also called as
Su(Var) 2-101, is encoded by a single gene locus and can also act as a SUMO E3 ligase
for SUMO conjugation. Mutations in Drosophila dPIAS display hypocondensed
chromosomes, disorganized interphase chromosomes, melanotic tumors, and affect
telomere-telomere and telomere-nuclear envelope interactions2. Twelve splice variant
isoforms of dPIAS have been predicted. The protein isoforms of dPIAS are localized in
different patterns in peripheral and internal regions of the nucleus when transfected into
Drosophila Schneider S2 cells. The ectopic expression of dPIAS isoforms also effects the
localization of some potential targets, including the GAGA transcription factor.
Preliminary gel filtration data suggests that different isoforms forms distinct high
molecular weight complexes. The goal of my project is to determine the interacting
partners of dPIAS isoforms
Literature
1) Reuter G. and I. Wolff, “Isolation of dominant suppressor mutations for position-effect
variegation in Drosophila melanogaster” Mol Gen Genet 182, 516–519 (1981).
2) Kumar L. Hari., et al. “The Drosophila Su(Var) 2- 10 locus regulates chromosome
structure and function and encodes a member of the PIAS protein family”. Genes &
Development . 15, 1334 – 1348 (2001).
contact:
Ph.D student Yamuna Gangadharan
Max-Planck-Institute of Immunbiology
gangadharan@immunbio.mpg.de
Stübeweg 51
79108 Freiburg (D)