Nanos2 suppresses meiosis and promotes male germ cell differentiation.
In mouse fetal gonads, retinoic acid (RA) induces meiosis in the female germ cells, whereas the male germ cells never enter meiosis due to Cyp26b1-mediated RA metabolism. We show here that Nanos2 plays critical roles in the differentiation of male germ cells. We find that Nanos2 maintains the suppression of meiosis by preventing Stra8 expression, which is required for premeiotic DNA replication, after Cyp26b1 is decreased. We also demonstrate that Nanos2 activates a male-specific genetic program, which is supported by the inhibition of meiosis and the induction of male-type differentiation in female germ cells following the forced expression of Nanos2.
Suzuki
Atsushi
A
Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan;
Saga
Yumiko
Y
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011506:Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D000072516:Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C477341:Nanos2 protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C102019:Stra8 protein, mouse; D014212:Tretinoin; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C000607081:Cyp26b1 protein, mouse; D000072516:Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase