title: parva germina, A gene involved in germ cell maintenance during male and female Drosophila gametogenesis.
abstract: We report the initial characterization of a gene, parva germina (pag), required for germ cell maintenance in both males and females. pag gonads contain a small number of germline stem cells at the onset of gametogenesis. In contrast, adult mutant gonads are either empty or have a very small number of germ cells that never develop in 16-cell cysts. Ovarioles and testes, therefore, are rudimentary, and the very few germ cells they contain are unable to differentiate into eggs or sperm. Germline stem cells are progressively depleted over time. The average number of germ cells, therefore, decreases in pag mutant ovarioles with the age of the mother, whereas the proportion of agametic germaria goes up. These observations suggest that the pag gene product is involved in germ cell maintenance in both male and female gametogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Riparbelli
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Callaini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008938:Mitosis; D009154:Mutation; D010590:Phalloidine; D012235:Rhodamines
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012235:Rhodamines; C502522:pag protein, Drosophila; D010590:Phalloidine