[Functional interaction between an insulator and a Pc-dependent silencer with the example of the Mcp boundary of the Drosophila melanogaster Abd-B gene].

Insulators are cis-regulatory elements that prevent improper gene activation and heterochromatin spreading. An insulator is contained in the Mcp boundary from the regulatory region of the Drosophila melanogaster Abd-B gene. The barrier function of the Mcp insulator was studied and proved to be due to two modules. One is responsible for long-distance interactions and the capability of blocking enhancers. The other is essential for blocking Pc-dependent repression. It was observed for the first time that an insulator increased the repressor activity of a neighbor silencer.