Chromosomal proteins in the spermatogenesis of Drosophila

Chromatin constitution in the male germ line of Drosophila is discussed with respect to the substitution of somatic histones by protamines or other basic proteins. The specific properties of germ line chromatin include the initiation and completion of the spermatogenic pathway and the reprogramming of the genome for embryonic development. During meiotic prophase cell cycle-regulated H3 histones appear to a large extent to be substituted by the histone H3.3 replacement variant protein, which is generally found associated with transcriptionally active chromatin. Condensation of the chromosomes during meiosis and the subsequent compaction for packaging in the sperm head require suitable proteins, but the cell cycle-regulated histones are not available as their expression is limited to S-phase. It is, therefore, proposed that any basic protein with a limited range of sequence requirements may take over this packaging function. Suitable proteins may have evolved by divergence from histone variants not restricted in their expression to S-phase, similar to the testes-predominant histone H3.3A of Drosophila.