title: A non-cell autonomous role of E(z) to prevent germ cells from turning on a somatic cell marker.
abstract: In many metazoans, germ cells are separated from somatic lineages early in development and maintain their identity throughout life. Here, we show that a Polycomb group (PcG) component, Enhancer of Zeste [E(z)], a histone transferase that generates trimethylation at lysine 27 of histone H3, maintains germline identity in Drosophila adult testes. We find excessive early-stage somatic gonadal cells in E(z) mutant testes, which originate from both overproliferative cyst stem cells and germ cells turning on an early-stage somatic cell marker. Using complementary lineage-tracing experiments in E(z) mutant testes, a portion of excessive early-stage somatic gonadal cells are found to originate from early-stage germ cells, including germline stem cells. Moreover, knocking down E(z) specifically in somatic cells caused this change, which suggests a non-cell autonomous role of E(z) to antagonize somatic identity in germ cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors.forename: Suk Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Kairong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Keji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013090:Spermatocytes; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C083329:E(z) protein, Drosophila; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2