Transcription of a B chromosome CAP-G pseudogene does not influence normal Condensin Complex genes in a grasshopper

Sci Rep. 2017 Dec 15;7(1):17650. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-15894-5.

Abstract

Parasitic B chromosomes invade and persist in natural populations through several mechanisms for transmission advantage (drive). They may contain gene-derived sequences which, in some cases, are actively transcribed. A further interesting question is whether B-derived transcripts become functional products. In the grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans, one of the gene-derived sequences located on the B chromosome shows homology with the gene coding for the CAP-G subunit of condensin I. We show here, by means of fluorescent in situ hybridization coupled with tyramide signal amplification (FISH-TSA), that this gene is located in the distal region of the B24 chromosome variant. The DNA sequence located in the B chromosome is a pseudogenic version of the CAP-G gene (B-CAP-G). In two Spanish populations, we found active transcription of B-CAP-G, but it did not influence the expression of CAP-D2 and CAP-D3 genes coding for corresponding condensin I and II subunits, respectively. Our results indicate that the transcriptional regulation of the B-CAP-G pseudogene is uncoupled from the standard regulation of the genes that constitute the condensin complex, and suggest that some of the B chromosome known effects may be related with its gene content and transcriptional activity, thus opening new exciting avenues for research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Insect / genetics*
  • Computational Biology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Grasshoppers / genetics*
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Insect Proteins / genetics*
  • Male
  • Multiprotein Complexes / genetics*
  • Pseudogenes / genetics*

Substances

  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • condensin complexes
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases