The Polycomb group gene Posterior Sex Combs encodes a chromosomal protein

Abstract

The Posterior Sex Combs (Psc) gene of Drosophila has been studied at the molecular level both because it is a Polycomb group (Pc-G) gene and hence required for the maintenance of segmental determination, and because it is the Drosophila homolog of the murine bmi-1 oncogene. Although genetic interactions indicated that Psc functioned as a Pc-G gene, the zygotic mutant phenotype of Psc showed little evidence of segmental transformations. We have examined mutant embryos derived from a mutant maternal germ line and found a stronger mutant phenotype, indicating that the weak zygotic phenotype of Psc is due to maternal rescue. We have found that Psc RNA accumulates in developing oocytes and this maternal RNA is presumably responsible for the maternal rescue. We have studied the expression of the Psc gene at both the RNA and protein levels. On northern blots, we find evidence for two Psc mRNAs and, on western blots, we find evidence for two Psc proteins that are altered either in abundance or size in Psc mutants. The Psc protein accumulates in all regions of the embryo and also in many tissues in a variety of developmental stages. In all cases, it is nuclear, as is its mammalian homolog, the bmi-1 protein. On polytene chromosomes, we find Psc at 45 chromosomal loci where two other Pc-G proteins are present.