Reuter G, Giarre M, Farah J, Gausz J, Spierer A, Spierer P
Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University, Halle, DDR.
Nature. 1990 Mar 15;344(6263):219-23. doi: 10.1038/344219a0.
Position-effect variegation is the inactivation in some cells of a gene translocated next to heterochromatin, the region of the chromosome that is permanently condensed. The number of copies of the Drosophila gene Suvar(3)7 is a dose-limiting factor in this phenomenon, and seems from its sequence that it encodes a protein with five widely spaced zinc-fingers. This novel arrangement of zinc-fingers could help in packaging the chromatin fibre into heterochromatin, and also reflect a novel method of controlling the expression from DNA domains.
