Mago, a vertebrate homolog of Drosophila Mago nashi protein, is a component of the chromatoid body in the cytoplasm of the postmeiotic spermatid.
Post-transcriptional regulations play a crucial role during spermatogenesis of the vertebrates. Chromatoid body (CB) is a characteristic spermatid organelle that is supposed to exert its role in post-transcriptional processes, but its real functions remain largely unknown. Here we report identification of Mago from the rice field eel, and show its evolutionary conservation, differential expression and localization during gonadal transformation. The Mago interacts with Y14, which may facilitate nuclear export of both proteins in the Sertoli cells. Importantly, we have determined Mago as a novel component of the CB in the cytoplasm of the developing spermatid. Addition of Mago to the component list of the CB undoubtedly provides new clue as to the functions of the CB during spermatogenesis in the vertebrates.
Zhao
Wei
W
Department of Genetics and Center for Developmental Biology, College of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Zhou
Fang
F
Zhou
Xiang
X
Hou
Yu
Y
He
Yan
Y
Cheng
Hanhua
H
Zhou
Rongjia
R
D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004524:Eels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D018239:Seminoma / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013087:Spermatids / Q000378:metabolism*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D029941:Fish Proteins; C107372:Mago protein, Drosophila; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins