Stage-Specific Differences in the Requirements for Germline Stem Cell Maintenance in the Drosophila Ovary

Halyna R. Shcherbata, Ellen J. Ward, Karin A. Fischer, Jenn Yah Yu, Steven H. Reynolds, Chun Hong Chen, Peizhang Xu, Bruce A. Hay, Hannele Ruohola-Baker*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, we uncover a role for microRNAs (miRNAs) in Drosophila germline stem cell (GSC) maintenance. Disruption of Dicer-1 function in GSCs during adult life results in GSC loss. Surprisingly, however, loss of Dicer-1 during development does not result in a GSC maintenance defect, although a defect is seen if both Dicer-1 and Dicer-2 function are disrupted. Loss of the bantam miRNA mimics the Dicer-1 maintenance defect when induced in adult GSCs, suggesting that bantam plays a key role in GSC self-renewal. Mad, a component of the TGF-β pathway, behaves similarly to Dicer-1: adult GSC maintenance requires Mad if it is lost during adult life, but not if it is lost during pupal development. Overall, these results show stage-specific differential sensitivity of GSC maintenance to certain perturbations and suggest that there may be a Dicer-2-dependent GSC maintenance mechanism during development that is lost in later life.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)698-709
Number of pages12
JournalCell Stem Cell
Volume1
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 13 Dec 2007

Keywords

  • STEMCELL

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