Antagonism between germ cell-less and Torso receptor regulates transcriptional quiescence underlying germline/soma distinction.
Elife
; 102021 01 18.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33459591
ABSTRACT
Transcriptional quiescence, an evolutionarily conserved trait, distinguishes the embryonic primordial germ cells (PGCs) from their somatic neighbors. In Drosophila melanogaster, PGCs from embryos maternally compromised for germ cell-less (gcl) misexpress somatic genes, possibly resulting in PGC loss. Recent studies documented a requirement for Gcl during proteolytic degradation of the terminal patterning determinant, Torso receptor. Here we demonstrate that the somatic determinant of female fate, Sex-lethal (Sxl), is a biologically relevant transcriptional target of Gcl. Underscoring the significance of transcriptional silencing mediated by Gcl, ectopic expression of a degradation-resistant form of Torso (torsoDeg) can activate Sxl transcription in PGCs, whereas simultaneous loss of torso-like (tsl) reinstates the quiescent status of gcl PGCs. Intriguingly, like gcl mutants, embryos derived from mothers expressing torsoDeg in the germline display aberrant spreading of pole plasm RNAs, suggesting that mutual antagonism between Gcl and Torso ensures the controlled release of germ-plasm underlying the germline/soma distinction.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Proteínas de Ligação a RNA
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Receptores Proteína Tirosina Quinases
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Processos de Determinação Sexual
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Proteínas de Drosophila
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Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular
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Drosophila melanogaster
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article