Abstract
The FBF RNA binding proteins control multiple aspects of C. elegans germline development, including sex determination. FBF promotes the oocyte fate at the expense of spermatogenesis by binding a regulatory element in the fem-3 3'UTR and repressing this sex-determining gene. Here we report the discovery of GLD-3, a Bicaudal-C homolog and cytoplasmic protein that physically interacts with FBF. Using RNAi and a gld-3 deletion mutant, we show that GLD-3 promotes the sperm fate, a sex determination effect opposite to that of FBF. By epistasis analysis, GLD-3 acts upstream of FBF, and, in a yeast three-hybrid assay, GLD-3 interferes specifically with FBF binding to the fem-3 3'UTR. We propose that GLD-3 binds FBF and thereby inhibits its repression of target mRNAs.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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3' Untranslated Regions
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
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Cytoplasm / metabolism
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Drosophila Proteins
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Female
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Male
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Molecular Sequence Data
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RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
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Sex Determination Processes*
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Spermatogenesis / physiology
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Spermatozoa / physiology*
Substances
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3' Untranslated Regions
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BicC protein, Drosophila
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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GLD-3 protein, C elegans
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RNA-Binding Proteins
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fem-3 protein, C elegans
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fem-3-binding protein, C elegans