Repeated, protein-encoding heterochromatic genes cause inactivation of a juxtaposed euchromatic gene

Abstract

Euchromatic genes are often silenced by rearrangements that place them within or near heterochromatin, a phenomenon known as position effect variegation (PEV). However, little is known about molecular structure of cis‐acting heterochromatic fragments responsible for PEV. Here we report that heterochromatic cluster containing Stellate repeats, that encode putative regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2 cause PEV of a reporter white `mini‐gene'. It is the first example of an euchromatic gene being silenced because of the proximity to the natural, well‐defined heterochromatic repeat cluster.

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