Conserved role of nanos proteins in germ cell development.
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.
Tsuda
Masayuki
M
Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
Sasaoka
Yumiko
Y
Kiso
Makoto
M
Abe
Kuniya
K
Haraguchi
Seiki
S
Kobayashi
Satoru
S
Saga
Yumiko
Y
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
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C477341:Nanos2 protein, mouse; C477342:Nanos3 protein, mouse; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins