The MEP-1 zinc-finger protein acts with MOG DEAH box proteins to control gene expression via the fem-3 3′ untranslated region in Caenorhabditis elegans
The MEP-1 zinc-finger protein acts with MOG DEAH box proteins to control gene expression via the fem-3 3′ untranslated region in Caenorhabditis elegans
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DOI：
10.1017/s1355838202028595
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发表时间：
2002-06-01
期刊：
影响因子：
4.5
通讯作者：
Puoti, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Belfiore, M;Mathies, LD;Puoti, A
秀丽隐杆线虫生殖系的细胞命运在转录后水平受到调控，至少部分受到调控。例如，雌雄同体从精子发生到卵子发生的转换依赖于通过其3'非翻译区（UTR）对fem3 mRNA的转录后抑制。先前的研究确定了三个DEAH盒蛋白，MOG-1， MOG-4和MOG-5，它们对fm -3 3' UTR控制至关重要。在这里，我们描述了MEP-1，一种锌指蛋白，它与这三种MOG蛋白特异性结合，并且在体内被fem3 3' UTR抑制所必需。为了研究其在体内的功能，我们产生了一个mep-1缺失突变体。mep-1无表型表明mep-1在秀丽隐杆线虫的发育中具有广泛的作用，因为它与早期幼虫阻滞有关。此外，mep-1突变体在来自杂合子母体的促性腺激素和卵母细胞产生方面可能存在缺陷。我们认为MEP-1与MOG蛋白一起抑制fm -3 mRNA，并在其他途径中发挥作用，更广泛地控制发育。
Cell fates in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline are regulated, at least in part, at the posttranscriptional level. For example, the switch from spermatogenesis to oogenesis in the hermaphrodite relies on posttranscriptional repression of the fem-3 mRNA via its 3' untranslated region (UTR). Previous studies identified three DEAH box proteins, MOG-1, MOG-4, and MOG-5, that are critical for the fem-3 3' UTR control. Here we describe MEP-1, a zinc-finger protein that binds specifically to each of these three MOG proteins and that is required for repression by the fem-3 3' UTR in vivo. To investigate its in vivo function, we generated a mep-1 deletion mutant. The mep-1 null phenotype suggests a broad role for MEP-1 in C. elegans development, as it is associated with early larval arrest. In addition, mep-1 mutants can be defective in gonadogenesis and oocyte production when derived from a heterozygous mother. We suggest that MEP-1 acts together with the MOG proteins to repress fem-3 mRNA and that it also functions in other pathways to control development more broadly.