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First published online May 9, 2008

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Germline transcription gets the message

Although the transcription of new genes drives many processes during development, it is generally accepted that the late stages of both male and female germline development in Drosophila occur in the absence of transcription. Now, two papers in this issue of Development provide important new insights into how the gene expression necessary to drive spermiogenesis and oogenesis in Drosophila is controlled. On p. 1897, Barreau et al. reveal that, although the mRNAs for most of the proteins involved in late spermiogenesis are transcribed before the spermatocytes undergo meiotic division to form spermatids, some genes are transcribed post-meiotically. The researchers identify 24 genes whose mRNAs are most abundant in elongating spermatids, and use quantitative RT-PCR to show that these genes are transcribed post-meiotically, just before histone-to-protamine chromatin remodelling occurs. They show that these post-meiotically transcribed mRNAs are localized to the distal elongating end of the spermatid bundles and report that at least one of them (scotti) is required for late spermiogenesis. Further studies on this and the other post-meiotically transcribed genes should provide insights into the mechanisms of genetic control of sperm maturation. Turning to the maturation of oocytes, on p. 1969, Benoit et al. report that two distinct poly(A) polymerases regulate the translation of stored maternal mRNAs at different stages of Drosophila oogenesis. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation plays an essential role in activating maternal mRNA during oogenesis and early development. Previous studies have shown that the canonical poly(A) polymerase (PAP) interacts with Orb, the Drosophila homolog of the vertebrate CPEB RNA-binding protein, to control cytoplasmic polyadenylation during mid-oogenesis. These researchers now report that an atypical GLD-2 poly(A) polymerase is required for the polyadenylation of specific mRNAs during late oogenesis and early embryogenesis. They show that this female germline GLD-2 is encoded by wispy, that Wisp (the protein encoded by wispy) is required for meiotic progression in mature oocytes, and that Wisp interacts with Orb. Thus, because Orb forms complexes with both PAP and Wisp, it seems that the same pool of mRNAs is regulated by two different poly(A) polymerases at different stages of oogenesis.

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Related articles in Development:

Post-meiotic transcription in Drosophila testes

Carine Barreau, Elizabeth Benson, Elin Gudmannsdottir, Fay Newton, and Helen White-Cooper
Development 2008 135: 1897-1902. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

PAP- and GLD-2-type poly(A) polymerases are required sequentially in cytoplasmic polyadenylation and oogenesis in Drosophila

Perrine Benoit, Catherine Papin, Jae Eun Kwak, Marvin Wickens, and Martine Simonelig
Development 2008 135: 1969-1979. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?