RNA-Regulated TRA-1 nuclear export controls sexual fate.
TRA-1, a member of the GLI family of transcription factors, is required for C. elegans female development. We find that TRA-1 has a sex-specific distribution consistent with its role in female development: nuclear TRA-1 is higher in hermaphrodite intestines and in specific germline regions than in males. TRA-1 patterns rely on nuclear export since treatment with leptomycin B, a CRM1-dependent export inhibitor, increases nuclearTRA-1 in males. TRA-1 export requires TRA-1 binding to the tra-2 3' untranslated region (3' UTR), as disruption of binding increases nuclear TRA-1 and female development. Our data are consistent with coexport of a TRA-1/tra-2 mRNA complex reducing TRA-1 nuclear activity, and identify an interesting RNA-based mechanism for controlling transcriptional activity and cell fate determination.
Segal
S P
SP
Northwestern University Medical School and Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
Graves
L E
LE
Verheyden
J
J
Goodwin
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EB
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000378:metabolism; D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C121025:tra-1 protein, C elegans; C066174:tra2 protein, Drosophila