title: Epigenetic licensing of germline gene expression by maternal RNA in C. elegans.
abstract: RNA can act as a regulator of gene expression with roles in transposon silencing, antiviral defense, and cell fate determination. Here, we show that in Caenorhabditis elegans a maternal transcript of the sex-determining gene fem-1 is required to license expression of a wild-type fem-1 allele in the zygotic germ line. Females homozygous for fem-1 deletions produce heterozygous offspring exhibiting germline feminization, reduced fem-1 activity, and transcript accumulation. Injection of fem-1 RNA incapable of encoding a protein into the maternal germ line rescues this defect in the progeny. The defect in zygotic fem-1 expression is heritable, suggesting that the gene is subject to epigenetic silencing that is prevented by maternal fem-1 transcripts. This mechanism may contribute to protecting the identity and integrity of the germ line.
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Collaborative Program in Developmental Biology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors: Cheryl L
authors: CL
authors: Johnson
authors: Andrew M
authors: AM
authors: Spence
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D019849:Sex Determination Processes / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C115306:FEM-1 protein, C elegans; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D012333:RNA, Messenger