Variant Polycomb complexes in Drosophila consistent with ancient functional diversity.

Polycomb group (PcG) mutants were first identified in Drosophila on the basis of their failure to maintain proper Hox gene repression during development. The proteins encoded by the corresponding fly genes mainly assemble into one of two discrete Polycomb repressive complexes: PRC1 or PRC2. However, biochemical analyses in mammals have revealed alternative forms of PRC2 and multiple distinct types of noncanonical or variant PRC1. Through a series of proteomic analyses, we identify analogous PRC2 and variant PRC1 complexes in Drosophila, as well as a broader repertoire of interactions implicated in early development. Our data provide strong support for the ancient diversity of PcG complexes and a framework for future analysis in a longstanding and versatile genetic system. A BioTAP-XL protein interaction resource reveals conserved and unexpected variant Polycomb group complexes in Drosophila.

多梳蛋白家族（PcG）突变体最初是在果蝇中被发现的，原因是它们在发育过程中无法维持对Hox基因的适当抑制。相应果蝇基因编码的蛋白质主要组装成两种不同的多梳抑制复合物之一：PRC1或PRC2。然而，对哺乳动物的生化分析揭示了PRC2的其他形式以及多种不同类型的非经典或变异PRC1。通过一系列蛋白质组学分析，我们在果蝇中鉴定出了类似的PRC2和变异PRC1复合物，以及在早期发育中涉及的更广泛的相互作用组。我们的数据为PcG复合物的古老多样性提供了有力支持，并为在一个长期存在且通用的遗传系统中进行未来分析提供了框架。 一种BioTAP - XL蛋白质相互作用资源揭示了果蝇中保守的和意想不到的变异多梳蛋白家族复合物。