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Updated: May 22, 2026

Maintenance of a Drosophila melanogaster Population Cage
Published on: March 15, 2016
A role for siRNA in X-chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila melanogaster
Debashish U Menon1, Victoria H Meller
1Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
Abstract:
Sex-chromosome dosage compensation requires selective identification of X chromatin. How this occurs is not fully understood. We show that small interfering RNA (siRNA) mutations enhance the lethality of Drosophila males deficient in X recognition and partially rescue females that inappropriately dosage-compensate. Our findings are consistent with a role for siRNA in selective recognition of X chromatin.
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