Repression by the 3' UTR of fem-3, a sex-determining gene, relies on a ubiquitous mog-dependent control in Caenorhabditis elegans.
The fem-3 sex-determining gene is repressed post-transcriptionally via a regulatory element in its 3' untranslated region (UTR) to achieve the switch from spermatogenesis to oogenesis in the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite germ line. In this paper, we investigate the fem-3 3' UTR control in somatic tissues using transgenic reporter assays, and we also identify six genes essential for this control. First, we find that a reporter transgene bearing a wild-type fem-3 3' UTR is repressed in somatic tissues, whereas one bearing a mutant fem-3 3' UTR is derepressed. Moreover, control by mutant 3' UTRs is temperature sensitive as predicted from the temperature sensitivity of the fem-3 gain-of-function (gf) mutations. Secondly, we find a fem-3 3' UTR RNA-binding activity in somatic tissues, in addition to the previously reported germ-line-specific binding by FBF. Thirdly, we find that each of six genes, mog-1-mog-6, is required for repression by the fem-3 3' UTR. Therefore, the mog genes not only affect the sperm/oocyte switch in the germ line, but also function in somatic tissues. We suggest that the mog genes may encode components of a ubiquitous machinery that is used for fem-3 3' UTR-mediated repression and the sperm/oocyte switch.
Gallegos
M
M
Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Room 341E, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Ahringer
J
J
Crittenden
S
S
Kimble
J
J
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D013696:Temperature
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C075059:fem-3 protein, C elegans