Subject: Trf-proximal
Re: FBgn 0013531
Recent work in Roger Kornberg's lab at Stanford, described in Jiang et al.
PNAS  95:8538-8543 , shows that the protein coded by the gene which until now
I have referred to as Trf-proximal, is similar in sequence to a component of
the mammalian Mediator complex. Mediator is composed of at least 15
subunits, is associated with the Carboxy Terminal Domain (CTD) of RNA
Polymerase II and has been shown to stimulate basal level transcription,
play a critical role in activated transcription and induce phosphorylation
of the CTD by the general transcription factor TFIIH. The 41% amino acid
sequence identity between the fly and mammalian proteins suggests that
Trf-proximal codes for a component of Mediator in Drosophila, and since its
expression has only been detected in spermatocytes, it may play a role in
transcription regulation during spermatogenesis.
I propose renaming this gene Transcription mediator-related (Tmr)
and the encoded protein Transcription Mediator-Related (TMR). Please let me
know if this name is acceptable and update the Flybase entry info as
indicated above. Also, please add the following citation to this entry and
to FBgn0010287 (Trf) and FBgn0020240 (Mcr):
Crowley, T.E. (1998)
Mutations near the Trf cluster cause a premeiotic defect in the Drosophila
male germ line. DIS 81, in press.
Thanks,
Tom Crowley