Role of maternal Xenopus syntabulin in germ plasm aggregation and primordial germ cell specification

• Published in: Developmental biology Vol. 432; no. 2; pp. 237 - 247
• Main Authors: Oh, Denise, Houston, Douglas W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.12.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Cytoplasm - metabolism; Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism; Fertilization; Gastrulation; Germ Cells - metabolism; Germ Cells - physiology; Germ plasm; Germline; Kinesin - metabolism; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - genetics; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Mitochondria - metabolism; Mitochondrial transport; Oocytes - metabolism; Primordial germ cells; Xenopus; Xenopus - genetics; Xenopus - metabolism; Xenopus laevis - genetics; Xenopus Proteins - metabolism; Xenopus; Primordial germ cells; Germ plasm; Mitochondrial transport; Germline
• ISSN: 0012-1606; 1095-564X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.10.006

The localization and organization of mitochondria- and ribonucleoprotein granule-rich germ plasm is essential for many aspects of germ cell development. In Xenopus, germ plasm is maternally inherited and is required for the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs). Germ plasm is aggregated into larger patches during egg activation and cleavage and is ultimately translocated perinuclearly during gastrulation. Although microtubule dynamics and a kinesin (Kif4a) have been implicated in Xenopus germ plasm localization, little is known about how germ plasm distribution is regulated. Here, we identify a role for maternal Xenopus Syntabulin in the aggregation of germ plasm following fertilization. We show that depletion of sybu mRNA using antisense oligonucleotides injected into oocytes results in defects in the aggregation and perinuclear transport of germ plasm and subsequently in reduced PGC numbers. Using live imaging analysis, we also characterize a novel role for Sybu in the collection of germ plasm in vegetal cleavage furrows by surface contraction waves. Additionally, we show that a localized kinesin-like protein, Kif3b, is also required for germ plasm aggregation and that Sybu functionally interacts with Kif3b and Kif4a in germ plasm aggregation. Overall, these data suggest multiple coordinate roles for kinesins and adaptor proteins in controlling the localization and distribution of a cytoplasmic determinant in early development. •Maternal syntabulin (sybu) RNA is depleted using antisense oligos.•Germ plasm aggregation and subsequent PGC specification are abnormal in sybu-depleted embryos.•Sybu mediates accumulation of vegetal accumulation of germ plasm in response to surface contraction waves.•Depletion of maternal kif3b also affects normal germ plasm aggregation.•Multiple coordinate roles for kinesins and adaptor proteins in controlling germ plasm localization are proposed.