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Table 1 The 34 germ line genes studied in Drosophila. For this study, genes have been classified based on known roles in PGC-specification in established models. However, many genes (excluding LSI genes) have been reported to play roles in both germ line specification and at some stage(s) of germ line development or maintenance across model systems and specification modes [1, 3, 4, 13,14,15,16].

From: Contrasting patterns of molecular evolution in metazoan germ line genes

Gene

Gene Name

FlyBase ID

Length (codons)

Established PGC or Germ Line Role in Animal Models

References

Category 1: Lineage-Specific Inheritance (LSI) (N=2)

osk

oskar

FBgn0003015

607

Assembly of germ plasm components

[2, 4, 18]

pgc

polar granule component

FBgn0016053

72

Localized to germ plasm; transcriptional repression in pole cells (DM)

[19, 20]

Category 2: Inheritance (N=13)

armi

armitage

FBgn0041164

1189

osk functionality and mRNA translocation (DM)

[125]

bru-1

bruno 1

FBgn0000114

811

osk regulation: binding mRNA, translocation (DM)

[126]

capu

cappuccino

FBgn0000256

1362

Interacts with spir; Localization of osk mRNA, VASA and STAUFF to germ plasm, oocyte polarity (DM)

[127, 128]

cup

cup

FBgn0000392

1118

Osk regulation, with bruno (DM)

[129]

cycB

cyclin B

FBgn0000405

531

Cell cycle; mRNA localized to germ plasm (DM)

[20, 130]

gcl

germ cell less

FBgn0005695

570

Localized to germ plasm; required for PGC specification (DM)

[20]

mago

mago nashi

FBgn0002736

148

Required for PGC specification; localization of osk mRNA and STAUF to posterior pole of oocyte (DM)

[131]

orb

oo18 RNA-binding protein

FBgn0004882

916

Localized to germ plasm; osk regulation, oocyte polarity (DM)

[20, 132]

psq

pipsqueak

FBgn0263102

1124

Required for germ plasm formation

[133]

spir

spire

FBgn0003475

1021

Products are component of germ plasm (DM), interacts with capu

[127, 128]

stau

staufen

FBgn0003520

1027

Localization to germ plasm, PGC specification

[1, 127, 134]

tud

tudor

FBgn0003891

2516

Component of germ plasm, germ cell formation (DM)

[1, 135]

vls

valois

FBgn0003978

368

Component of germ plasm, involved in assembly (DM)

[136]

Category 3: Induction (N=15)

Blimp-1

Blimp-1

FBgn0035625

1217

BMP signalling pathway for PGC specification, represses somatic expression (MM, GB)

[4, 5, 10, 17, 31, 137, 138]

bnl

branchless

FBgn0014135

771

FGF protein; mitogen for PGCs (MM)

[139, 140]

btl

breathless

FBgn0005592

1053

FGFR (FGF receptor), linked to PGCs (MM)

[140]

byn

brachyury

FBgn0011723

698

Activation of BLIMP-1; essential for PGC specification (MM)

[141]

dpp

decapentaplegic (BMP 2/4-ortholog)

FBgn0000490

589

BMP2/4 ortholog; involved in BMP-BLIMP1 signalling for PGC specification (MM, GB)

[5, 10, 32, 137]

gbb

glass bottom boat

FBgn0024234

456

BMP5/7/8 ortholog; involved in PGC specification (MM, GB)

[5, 32, 142]

mad

mothers against dpp

FBgn0011648

526

Ortholog to MM smad and GB mad genes; PGC specification (MM,GB)

[5, 142, 143]

med

medea

FBgn0011655

772

Ortholog to MM smad4; PGC induction (MM,GB)

[5, 142]

punt

punt

FBgn0003169

521

BMP receptor; putative ortholog in MM Bmpr2 (note; or Acvr2); associated with PGCs in GB

[32, 142, 144]; orthology match in FlyBase.org

sax

saxophone

FBgn0003317

583

BMP receptor; putative mammalian ortholog Bmpr1a/b (note: or Acvr) involved PGC specification in birds

[142]; orthology match in FlyBase.org

smox

smad on X

FBgn0025800

487

Orthologs are smad2/3 in MM, which are transcriptional regulators needed for inductive PGC specification

[5]; orthology from FlyBase.org

sog

short gastrulation

FBgn0003463

1039

MM ortholog CHRD involved in BMP/CHRD signalling pathway, which relates to PGCs; Regulates DPP (DM)

[145, 146]; Orthology from FlyBase.org

tkv

thick veins

FBgn0003716

576

BMP receptor; mammalian ortholog (Bmpr1a/b) involved PGC specification in birds, GB

[142]; orthology match in FlyBase.org

wg

wingless

FBgn0284084

469

Ortholog to MM wnt genes; essential for PGC specification

[5, 147]

wit

wishful thinking

FBgn0024179

914

BMP receptor; putative ortholog to MM Bmpr2 (similar to punt), GB-punt is linked to PGCs in GB

[32, 144]; orthology match in FlyBase.org

Category 4: Inh/Ind (N=4)

nos

nanos

FBgn0002962

402

Germ plasm component (DM), regulates mRNA, associated with PGCs in MM; common germ cell across metazoans

[1, 4, 17, 20, 148]

piwi

P-element induced wimpy testis

FBgn0004872

844

Component of germ plasm (DM); germ line essential across metazoans (DM, MM)

[1, 149]

pum

pumilio

FBgn0003165

1534

Regulate mRNA in PGCs (DM), conserved germ cell role in humans

[1, 150]

vasa

vasa

FBgn0283442

662

mRNA and protein localizes to germ plasm (DM, zebrafish, C. elegans), PGCS in Xenopus and MM

[1, 149, 151, 152]

  1. NOTE: Gene identifiers are from the reference species D. melanogaster. Genes were placed in one of four categories based on their role in PGC-specification. Experimental or cytological evidence linking genes to lineage-specific inheritance (LSI), to Inheritance or Induction modes, or Inh/Ind are shown. This gene list was used as a reference to identify orthologs in five other Drosophila species from the melanogaster group, and in C. elegans and A. mellifera using reciprocal BLASTX. Length is for the full CDS per gene. Species abbreviations in cited evidence are Drosophila melanogaster (DM), Gryllus bimaculatus (GB), or Mus musculus (MM).
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BMC Ecology and Evolution

ISSN: 2730-7182

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