Boundary and insulator elements in chromosomes

Abstract

Recent progress in understanding boundary and insulator elements has concentrated on the identification of their protein components. BEAF-32 is a protein present in the scs' element of Drosophila that is also localized to most interband regions and puffs of polytene chromosomes, suggesting a role in the organization of structural chromosomal domains. The suppressor of Hairy-wing and modifier of mdg4 proteins have been characterized as components of the gypsy insulator. The latter seems to play a crucial role in conferring on the insulator its ability to unidirectionally affect enhancer function.