Structural highlights
Function
MAEL_DROME Involved both in the piRNA and miRNA metabolic processes. As a component of the meiotic nuage, plays a central role during oogenesis by repressing transposable elements and preventing their mobilization, which is essential for the germline integrity. Repression of transposable elements is mediated via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and governs the repression of transposons. As a nuclear component, it is required for proper differentiation in the germline stem cell (GSC) lineage by repressing microRNA-7 (miR-7), thereby acting as an indirect regulator of bag-of-marbles (Bam). Acts by binding to the promoter of miR-7 gene and repressing its expression; miR-7 repression alleviates the Bam repression by miR-7, thereby allowing differentiation in the germline stem cell (GSC) lineage. Indirectly required to position the microtubule organizing center in stage 2-6 oocytes.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
References
- ↑ Clegg NJ, Findley SD, Mahowald AP, Ruohola-Baker H. Maelstrom is required to position the MTOC in stage 2-6 Drosophila oocytes. Dev Genes Evol. 2001 Jan;211(1):44-8. PMID:11277405
- ↑ Findley SD, Tamanaha M, Clegg NJ, Ruohola-Baker H. Maelstrom, a Drosophila spindle-class gene, encodes a protein that colocalizes with Vasa and RDE1/AGO1 homolog, Aubergine, in nuage. Development. 2003 Mar;130(5):859-71. PMID:12538514
- ↑ Lim AK, Kai T. Unique germ-line organelle, nuage, functions to repress selfish genetic elements in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Apr 17;104(16):6714-9. Epub 2007 Apr 11. PMID:17428915 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0701920104
- ↑ Pek JW, Lim AK, Kai T. Drosophila maelstrom ensures proper germline stem cell lineage differentiation by repressing microRNA-7. Dev Cell. 2009 Sep;17(3):417-24. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2009.07.017. PMID:19758565 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2009.07.017
- ↑ Sienski G, Donertas D, Brennecke J. Transcriptional silencing of transposons by Piwi and maelstrom and its impact on chromatin state and gene expression. Cell. 2012 Nov 21;151(5):964-80. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.040. Epub 2012 Nov, 15. PMID:23159368 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.040
