Drosophila domino Exhibits Genetic Interactions with a Wide Spectrum of Chromatin Protein-Encoding Loci

The Drosophila domino gene encodes protein of the SWI2/SNF2 family that has widespread roles in transcription, replication, recombination and DNA repair. Here, the potential relationship of Domino protein to other chromatin-associated proteins has been investigated through a genetic interaction analysis. We scored for genetic modification of a domino wing margin phenotype through coexpression of RNAi directed against a set of previously characterized and more newly characterized chromatin-encoding loci. A set of other SWI2/SNF2 loci were also assayed for interaction with domino. Our results show that the majority of tested loci exhibit synergistic enhancement or suppression of the domino wing phenotype. Therefore, depression in domino function sensitizes the wing margin to alterations in the activity of numerous chromatin components. In several cases the genetic interactions are associated with changes in the level of cell death measured across the dorsal-ventral margin of the wing imaginal disc. These results highlight the broad realms of action of many chromatin proteins and suggest significant overlap with Domino function in fundamental cell processes, including cell proliferation, cell death and cell signaling.