title: GAGA protein is essential for male germ cell development in Drosophila.
abstract: The Drosophila Trithorax-like (Trl) gene encodes a GAGA factor which regulates a number of developmentally important genes. In this study, we identify a new function for Drosophila GAGA factor in male germ cell development. Trl mutants carrying strong hypomorphic alleles display loss of primordial germ cells during their migration in embryogenesis and severe disruption in mitochondria structure during early spermatogenesis. The mutation resulted in small testes formation, a deficit of germ cells, abnormal mitochondrial morphogenesis, spermatocyte death through autophagy, and partial or complete male sterility. Pleiotropic mutation effects can be explained by the misexpression of GAGA factor target genes, the products of which are required for germ cell progression into mature sperm.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cytology & Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia.
authors.forename: Natalia V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Dorogova
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Fedorova
authors.forename: Elena Us
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Bolobolova
authors.forename: Anna A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ogienko
authors.forename: Elina M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Baricheva
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics; D016923:Cell Death; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D013090:Spermatocytes; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C063460:Trl protein, Drosophila
keywords: Trl mutation; autophagy; germ cell migration; mitochondria; spermatogenesis