A Xenopus DAZ-like gene encodes an RNA component of germ plasm and is a functional homologue of Drosophila boule

D W Houston; J Zhang; J Z Maines; S A Wasserman; Mary Lou King

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A Xenopus DAZ-like gene encodes an RNA component of germ plasm and is a functional homologue of Drosophila boule

Journal article

Peer reviewed

A Xenopus DAZ-like gene encodes an RNA component of germ plasm and is a functional homologue of Drosophila boule

D W Houston, J Zhang, J Z Maines, S A Wasserman and Mary Lou King

Development (Cambridge), Vol.125(2), pp.171-180

01/1998

PMID: 9486791

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Abstract

We have identified a localized RNA component of Xenopus germ plasm. This RNA, Xdazl (Xenopus DAZ-like), encodes a protein homologous to human DAZ (Deleted in Azoospermia), vertebrate DAZL and Drosophila Boule proteins. Human males deficient in DAZ have few or no sperm and boule mutant flies exhibit complete azoospermia and male sterility. Xdazl RNA was detected in the mitochondrial cloud and vegetal cortex of oocytes. In early embryos, the RNA was localized exclusively in the germ plasm. Consistent with other organisms, Xdazl RNA was also expressed in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes of frog testis. Proteins in the DAZ-family contain a conserved RNP domain implying an RNA-binding function. We have shown that Xdazl can function in vitro as an RNA-binding protein. To determine if the function of Xdazl in spermatogenesis was conserved, we introduced the Xdazl cDNA into boule flies. This resulted in rescue of the boule meiotic entry phenotype, including formation of spindles, phosphorylation of histone H3 and completion of meiotic cell division. Overall, these results suggest that Xdazl may be important for primordial germ cell specification in the early embryo and may play a role analogous to Boule in promoting meiotic cell division.

Genes

Testis

Xenopus

RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics

Spermatozoa - chemistry

Spermatogenesis - genetics

Humans

Molecular Sequence Data

RNA, Messenger - analysis

Male

RNA, Messenger - metabolism

Mitochondria - chemistry

Cytoplasm - chemistry

Amino Acid Sequence

Drosophila Proteins

Spermatogonia - chemistry

Deleted in Azoospermia 1 Protein

RNA-Binding Proteins - physiology

Drosophila

Oocytes - chemistry

RNA, Messenger - genetics

Organ Specificity

Sequence Analysis, DNA

Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Meiosis - genetics

Animals

Protein Binding

RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism

Details

Title: Subtitle: A Xenopus DAZ-like gene encodes an RNA component of germ plasm and is a functional homologue of Drosophila boule
Creators: D W Houston - University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, FL 33101, USA
J Zhang - University of Miami
J Z Maines
S A Wasserman
Mary Lou King - University of Miami
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Development (Cambridge), Vol.125(2), pp.171-180
Publisher: England
PMID: 9486791
ISSN: 0950-1991
eISSN: 1477-9129
Grant note: GM18484 / NIGMS NIH HHS GM33932 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/1998
Academic Unit: Biology
Record Identifier: 9983992082502771

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