QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online 13 September 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02572

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: dev.02572v1 133/20/4053    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Arkov, A. L. Articles by Lehmann, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Arkov, A. L. Articles by Lehmann, R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The role of Tudor domains in germline development and polar granule architecture

¹ Developmental Genetics Program, HHMI, Skirball Institute at New York University School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
² Molecular Structure Division, National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, UK.

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: lehmann{at}saturn.med.nyu.edu)

Accepted 7 August 2006

Tudor domains are found in many organisms and have been implicated in protein-protein interactions in which methylated protein substrates bind to these domains. Here, we present evidence for the involvement of specific Tudor domains in germline development. Drosophila Tudor, the founder of the Tudor domain family, contains 11 Tudor domains and is a component of polar granules and nuage, electron-dense organelles characteristic of the germline in many organisms, including mammals. In this study, we investigated whether the 11 Tudor domains fulfil specific functions for polar granule assembly, germ cell formation and abdomen formation. We find that even a small number of non-overlapping Tudor domains or a substantial reduction in overall Tudor protein is sufficient for abdomen development. In stark contrast, we find a requirement for specific Tudor domains in germ cell formation, Tudor localization and polar granule architecture. Combining genetic analysis with structural modeling of specific Tudor domains, we propose that these domains serve as `docking platforms' for polar granule assembly.

Key words: Drosophila, Germline development, Nuage, Polar granule, Tudor domain, Methylosome, PRMT5

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. S. Kunwar, H. Sano, A. D. Renault, V. Barbosa, N. Fuse, and R. Lehmann Tre1 GPCR initiates germ cell transepithelial migration by regulating Drosophila melanogaster E-cadherin J. Cell Biol., October 6, 2008; 183(1): 157 - 168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Goulet, S. Boisvenue, S. Mokas, R. Mazroui, and J. Cote TDRD3, a novel Tudor domain-containing protein, localizes to cytoplasmic stress granules Hum. Mol. Genet., October 1, 2008; 17(19): 3055 - 3074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Song, L. Fee, T. H. Lee, and R. P. Wharton The Molecular Chaperone Hsp90 Is Required for mRNA Localization in Drosophila melanogaster Embryos Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 2213 - 2222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Lim and T. Kai Unique germ-line organelle, nuage, functions to repress selfish genetic elements in Drosophila melanogaster PNAS, April 17, 2007; 104(16): 6714 - 6719. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Jones and P. M. Macdonald Oskar controls morphology of polar granules and nuclear bodies in Drosophila Development, January 15, 2007; 134(2): 233 - 236. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Anne, R. Ollo, A. Ephrussi, and B. M. Mechler Arginine methyltransferase Capsuleen is essential for methylation of spliceosomal Sm proteins and germ cell formation in Drosophila Development, January 1, 2007; 134(1): 137 - 146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]