title: Conserved role of nanos proteins in germ cell development.
abstract: In Drosophila, maternally supplied Nanos functions in the migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) into the gonad; in mice, zygotic genes are involved instead. We report the cloning and the functional analyses of nanos2 and nanos3 in mice. These genes are differentially expressed in mouse PGCs. nanos2 is predominantly expressed in male germ cells, and the elimination of this gene results in a complete loss of spermatogonia. However, nanos3 is found in migrating PGCs, and the elimination of this factor results in the complete loss of germ cells in both sexes. Hence, although mice and flies differ in their mechanisms for germ cell specification, there seems to be conserved function for nanos proteins among invertebrates and vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaoka
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiso
authors.forename: Kuniya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Seiki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haraguchi
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saga
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018390:Gene Targeting; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C477341:Nanos2 protein, mouse; C477342:Nanos3 protein, mouse; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins