The Nanos3-3'UTR is required for germ cell specific NANOS3 expression in mouse embryos.
BACKGROUND
The regulation of gene expression via a 3' untranslated region (UTR) plays essential roles in the discrimination of the germ cell lineage from somatic cells during embryogenesis. This is fundamental to the continuation of a species. Mouse NANOS3 is an essential protein required for the germ cell maintenance and is specifically expressed in these cells. However, the regulatory mechanisms that restrict the expression of this gene in the germ cells is largely unknown at present.


RESULTS
In our current study, we show that differences in the stability of Nanos3 mRNA between germ cells and somatic cells is brought about in a 3'UTR-dependent manner in mouse embryos. Although Nanos3 is transcribed in both cell lineages, it is efficiently translated only in the germ lineage. We also find that the translational suppression of NANOS3 in somatic cells is caused by a 3'UTR-mediated mRNA destabilizing mechanism. Surprisingly, even when under the control of the CAG promoter which induces strong ubiquitous transcription in both germ cells and somatic cells, the addition of the Nanos3-3'UTR sequence to the coding region of exogenous gene was effective in restricting protein expression in germ cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our current study thus suggests that Nanos3-3'UTR has an essential role in translational control in the mouse embryo.
Suzuki
Hitomi
H
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Saba
Rie
R
Sada
Aiko
A
Saga
Yumiko
Y
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C477342:Nanos3 protein, mouse