Fig. 7. A proposed model of URI-1 function. Genetic and cell biological analysis show that URI-1 prevents DNA damage and the subsequent activation of the DNA damage signaling pathway by functioning directly or indirectly in DNA damaging processes and/or DNA repair processes. DNA damage caused by deficiency of URI-1 affects germ cells by leading to proliferation arrest in the mitotic region and p53-dependent apoptosis, as well as cell cycle arrest in the meiotic part of the germline. This phenotypes are consistent with reported read outs of the DNA-damage response (Deng et al., 2004; Stergiou and Hengartner, 2004).