Eur. J. Entomol. 102 (4): 625-632, 2005

Conservation of HP1 and methylated H3 histones as heterochromatic epigenetic markers in the holocentric chromosomes of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera)

Federica BORSATTI, Mauro MANDRIOLI*
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, UniversitL di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/d, 41100 Modena, Italy;

The methylated H3 histone and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) are markers of heterochromatin in several eukaryotes possessing monocentric chromosomes. In order to confirm that these epigenetic markers of heterochromatin are evolutionary conserved, the distribution of methylated H3 histones and HP1 homologues on the holocentric chromosomes of the cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera) were studied. In particular, PCR experiments with degenerated primers identified a HP1 homologue (called MbHP1) in the M. brassicae genome. Sequencing showed that the MbHP1 gene is 737 bp long including a 102 bp 5'UTR and a 635 bp coding portion (comprising an 80 bp intron). The MbHP1 peptide consisted of 184 amino acids, had a 20 kDa molecular mass and a net negative charge. At the structural level, it showed an N terminal chromo-domain and a chromo-shadow-domain at the C terminus linked by a short hinge region. At the cytogenetic level, MbHP1 was located exclusively in the heterochromatic regions of the chromosomes. The same heterochromatic regions became labelled after immuno-staining with antibodies against H3 histone methylated at lysine 9, reinforcing the hypothesis that this modified histone is essential for HP1 binding. Our data, as a whole, confirm that heterochromatic components and markers are evolutionary conserved both in mono- and holocentric chromosomes despite the difference in the distribution of heterochromatin on chromosomes.

Keywords: Holocentric chromosomes, heterochromatin, HP1, histone H3 methylation, cabbage moth, Lepidoptera, Mamestra brassicae

Received: January 11, 2005; Revised: March 17, 2005; Accepted: March 17, 2005; Published: November 3, 2005  Show citation

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BORSATTI, F., & MANDRIOLI, M. (2005). Conservation of HP1 and methylated H3 histones as heterochromatic epigenetic markers in the holocentric chromosomes of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera). EJE, 102(4), 625-632
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