A misexpression screen reveals effects of bag-of-marbles and TGF beta class signaling on the Drosophila male germ-line stem cell lineage.
Male gametes are produced throughout reproductive life by a classic stem cell mechanism. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms for lineage production that maintain male germ-line stem cell (GSC) populations, regulate mitotic amplification divisions, and ensure germ cell differentiation. Here we utilize the Drosophila system to identify genes that cause defects in the male GSC lineage when forcibly expressed. We conducted a gain-of-function screen using a collection of 2050 EP lines and found 55 EP lines that caused defects at early stages of spermatogenesis upon forced expression either in germ cells or in surrounding somatic support cells. Most strikingly, our analysis of forced expression indicated that repression of bag-of-marbles (bam) expression in male GSC is important for male GSC survival, while activity of the TGF beta signal transduction pathway may play a permissive role in maintenance of GSCs in Drosophila testes. In addition, forced activation of the TGF beta signal transduction pathway in germ cells inhibits the transition from the spermatogonial mitotic amplification program to spermatocyte differentiation.
Schulz
Cordula
C
Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5329, USA.
Kiger
Amy A
AA
Tazuke
Salli I
SI
Yamashita
Yukiko M
YM
Pantalena-Filho
Luiz C
LC
Jones
D Leanne
DL
Wood
Cricket G
CG
Fuller
Margaret T
MT
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018095:Germ-Line Mutation; D008297:Male; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000166:cytology; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C091674:bam protein, Drosophila