OMA-1 is a P granules-associated protein that is required for germline specification in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos.
In Caenorhabditis elegans, CCCH-type zinc-finger proteins have been shown to be involved in the differentiation of germ cells during embryonic development. Previously, we and others have identified novel redundant CCCH-type zinc-finger proteins, OMA-1 and OMA-2, that are involved in oocyte maturation. In this study, we report that the cytoplasmic expression level of OMA-1 protein was largely reduced after fertilization. In contrast to its cytoplasmic degradation, OMA-1 was found to accumulate exclusively on P granules in germline blastomeres during embryogenesis. A notable finding is that embryos with partially suppressed oma-1; oma-2 expression showed inappropriate germline specification, including abnormal distributions of PGL-1, MEX-1 and PIE-1 proteins. Thus, our results suggest that oma gene products are novel multifunctional proteins that participate in crucial processes for germline specification during embryonic development.
Shimada
Masumi
M
Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
Yokosawa
Hideyoshi
H
Kawahara
Hiroyuki
H
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C440205:OMA-1 protein, C elegans; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C104694:mex-1 protein, C elegans; C473076:oma-2 protein, C elegans