title: Transcriptional regulation by Modulo integrates meiosis and spermatid differentiation in male germ line.
abstract: Transcriptional activation in early spermatocytes involves hundreds of genes, many of which are required for meiosis and spermatid differentiation. A number of the meiotic-arrest genes have been identified as general regulators of transcription; however, the gene-specific transcription factors have remained elusive. To identify such factors, we purified the protein that specifically binds to the promoter of spermatid-differentiation gene Sdic and identified it as Modulo, the Drosophila homologue of nucleolin. Analysis of gene-expression patterns in the male sterile modulo mutant indicates that Modulo supports high expression of the meiotic-arrest genes and is essential for transcription of spermatid-differentiation genes. Expression of Modulo itself is under the control of meiotic-arrest genes and requires the DAZ/DAZL homologue Boule that is involved in the control of G(2)/M transition. Thus, regulatory interactions among Modulo, Boule, and the meiotic-arrest genes integrate meiosis and spermatid differentiation in the male germ line.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Lyudmila M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mikhaylova
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Boutanaev
authors.forename: Dmitry I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Nurminsky
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C099859:bol protein, Drosophila; C117962:mod protein, Drosophila