TY - JOUR
T1 - Processing bodies and germ granules are distinct RNA granules that interact in C. elegans embryos
AU - Gallo, Christopher M.
AU - Munro, Edwin
AU - Rasoloson, Dominique
AU - Merritt, Christopher
AU - Seydoux, Geraldine
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank K. Kemphues for the par-1(it32) line, J. Priess and U. Wolke for the PGL-1:GFP line, R. Davis for the anti-DCAP-2 antibody, and M. Stitzel and E. Voronina for their comments on the manuscript. Some nematode strains used in this work were provided by the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center, which is funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). The K76 antibody developed by Strome and Wood was obtained from the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank (under the auspices of the NICHD and maintained by The University of Iowa, Department of Biological Sciences, Iowa City, IA 52242). This work was supported by NIH grants GM080042 to C.G., GM066050 to E.M., and HD037047 to G.S. G.S. is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.
PY - 2008/11/1
Y1 - 2008/11/1
N2 - In somatic cells, untranslated mRNAs accumulate in cytoplasmic foci called processing bodies or P-bodies. P-bodies contain complexes that inhibit translation and stimulate mRNA deadenylation, decapping, and decay. Recently, certain P-body proteins have been found in germ granules, RNA granules specific to germ cells. We have investigated a possible connection between P-bodies and germ granules in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identify PATR-1, the C. elegans homolog of the yeast decapping activator Pat1p, as a unique marker for P-bodies in C. elegans embryos. We find that P-bodies are inherited maternally as core granules that mature differently in somatic and germline blastomeres. In somatic blastomeres, P-bodies recruit the decapping activators LSM-1 and LSM-3. This recruitment requires the LET-711/Not1 subunit of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase and correlates spatially and temporally with the onset of maternal mRNA degradation. In germline blastomeres, P-bodies are maintained as core granules lacking LSM-1 and LSM-3. P-bodies interact with germ granules, but maintain distinct dynamics and components. The maternal mRNA nos-2 is maintained in germ granules, but not in P-bodies. We conclude that P-bodies are distinct from germ granules, and represent a second class of RNA granules that behaves differently in somatic and germline cells.
AB - In somatic cells, untranslated mRNAs accumulate in cytoplasmic foci called processing bodies or P-bodies. P-bodies contain complexes that inhibit translation and stimulate mRNA deadenylation, decapping, and decay. Recently, certain P-body proteins have been found in germ granules, RNA granules specific to germ cells. We have investigated a possible connection between P-bodies and germ granules in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identify PATR-1, the C. elegans homolog of the yeast decapping activator Pat1p, as a unique marker for P-bodies in C. elegans embryos. We find that P-bodies are inherited maternally as core granules that mature differently in somatic and germline blastomeres. In somatic blastomeres, P-bodies recruit the decapping activators LSM-1 and LSM-3. This recruitment requires the LET-711/Not1 subunit of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase and correlates spatially and temporally with the onset of maternal mRNA degradation. In germline blastomeres, P-bodies are maintained as core granules lacking LSM-1 and LSM-3. P-bodies interact with germ granules, but maintain distinct dynamics and components. The maternal mRNA nos-2 is maintained in germ granules, but not in P-bodies. We conclude that P-bodies are distinct from germ granules, and represent a second class of RNA granules that behaves differently in somatic and germline cells.
KW - Caenorhabditis elegans
KW - Germ cells
KW - Germ granules
KW - P-bodies
KW - Stress granules
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=53649103818&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=53649103818&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.07.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 18692039
AN - SCOPUS:53649103818
SN - 0012-1606
VL - 323
SP - 76
EP - 87
JO - Developmental biology
JF - Developmental biology
IS - 1
ER -