QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online 21 April 2009
doi: 10.1242/jcs.046771

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jcs.046771v1 122/10/1529    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Henderson, M. A. Articles by Keiper, B. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Henderson, M. A. Articles by Keiper, B. D. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A germline-specific isoform of eIF4E (IFE-1) is required for efficient translation of stored mRNAs and maturation of both oocytes and sperm

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
² Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: keiperb{at}ecu.edu)

Accepted 26 January 2009

Fertility and embryonic viability are measures of efficient germ cell growth and development. During oogenesis and spermatogenesis, new proteins are required for both mitotic expansion and differentiation. Qualitative and quantitative changes in protein synthesis occur by translational control of mRNAs, mediated in part by eIF4E, which binds the mRNAs 5' cap. IFE-1 is one of five eIF4E isoforms identified in C. elegans. IFE-1 is expressed primarily in the germ line and associates with P granules, large mRNPs that store mRNAs. We isolated a strain that lacks IFE-1 [ife-1(bn127)] and demonstrated that the translation of several maternal mRNAs (pos-1, pal-1, mex-1 and oma-1) was inefficient relative to that in wild-type worms. At 25°C, ife-1(bn127) spermatocytes failed in cytokinesis, prematurely expressed the pro-apoptotic protein CED-4/Apaf-1, and accumulated as multinucleate cells unable to mature to spermatids. A modest defect in oocyte development was also observed. Oocytes progressed normally through mitosis and meiosis, but subsequent production of competent oocytes became limiting, even in the presence of wild-type sperm. Combined gametogenesis defects decreased worm fertility by 80% at 20°C; ife-1 worms were completely sterile at 25°C. Thus, IFE-1 plays independent roles in late oogenesis and spermatogenesis through selective translation of germline-specific mRNAs.

Key words: Germ line, Protein synthesis, Maternal mRNAs, Oogenesis, Spermatogenesis, CED-4/Apaf-1, Meiosis, Polysomes

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. A. Henderson, E. Cronland, S. Dunkelbarger, V. Contreras, S. Strome, and B. D. Keiper A germline-specific isoform of eIF4E (IFE-1) is required for efficient translation of stored mRNAs and maturation of both oocytes and sperm Development, June 1, 2009; 136(11): e1 - e1. [Full Text]