title: Maternal dazap2 Regulates Germ Granules by Counteracting Dynein in Zebrafish Primordial Germ Cells.
abstract: Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the stem cells of the germline. Generally, germline induction occurs via zygotic factors or the inheritance of maternal determinants called germ plasm (GP). GP is packaged into ribonucleoprotein complexes within oocytes and later promotes the germline fate in embryos. Once PGCs are specified by either mechanism, GP components localize to perinuclear granular-like structures. Although components of zebrafish PGC germ granules have been studied, the maternal factors regulating their assembly and contribution to germ cell development are unknown. Here, we show that the scaffold protein Dazap2 binds to Bucky ball, an essential regulator of oocyte polarity and GP assembly, and colocalizes with the GP in oocytes and in PGCs. Mutational analysis revealed a requirement for maternal Dazap2 (MDazap2) in germ-granule maintenance. Through molecular epistasis analyses, we show that MDazap2 is epistatic to Tdrd7 and maintains germ granules in the embryonic germline by counteracting Dynein activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Meredyth M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rothhämel
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jenny
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Electronic address: florence.marlow@einstein.yu.edu.
authors.forename: Florence L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Marlow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C000606405:dazap2 protein, zebrafish; D004398:Dyneins