Functional genomics of histone modification and non-histone chromosomal proteins using the polytene chromosomes of Drosophila

Knowing the genomic distribution of chromosomal proteins and of histone modifications provides essential insight into function. The giant polytene chromosomes of the Drosophila larval salivary glands provide a high-resolution genomic map with a resolution exceeded only by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Immunofluorescence localization of chromosomal proteins and specific post-translational modifications of histones is a simple and rapid tool for the functional genomics of chromosomal proteins.